Great spot to eat. I forgot to take pictures but that's usually a good sign! Ambiance was of a bar/restaurant and was very lively. Service was good - they kept drinks full and got us seated right away. Food was out in a good time also. I really enjoyed the bread they brought to the table, and then my friend and I shared the ribs and the fish and chips. They were both really good. Fish and chips was a bread crumb fry, and a super large piece of fish. I prefer the beer batter style and more chicken strip cut - but this was definitely still good. The ribs were amazing - wanted more than we got! Also really liked all of our sides. The fries and the creamed spinach were yummy. If I went back I'd probably have to give the pot roast a try, it was between that and the ribs. Everything we had was good, so I'm sure that the pot roast would be great also! read more

Amazing! The Jefferson Restaurant is a mainstay and staple in Williamsburg--a family-owned business since 1956. The hotel recommended The Jefferson and it did not disappoint. You'll be greeted and seated with true Southern hospitality. Our server was extremely welcoming and friendly, and made an extra effort to interact with our family. The food was delicious. With The Jefferson's reputation, you won't go wrong with anything on the menu. The overall ambiance was homey, country-style and family-oriented. If you're in Williamsburg, please be sure to stop in for dinner. Also, ask for the owner Mark and server Britney. They take great pride in the restaurant and will make sure you feel special. Thanks for a pleasant dining experience! read more

We came to this place when the resort we were staying at had their menu in their welcome packet. The menu sounded really good so we gave it a try. From the first steps in the door, the entire staff were super friendly and welcoming. The decor is old school diner, again very welcoming and charming. We were seated right away and ordered a few minutes later. I ordered the crab cakes "Jefferson style" and my husband ordered the crab stuffed shrimp. We got what tasted like house made rolls, absolutely melt in your mouth delicious. When our orders the crab cakes looked nothing like crab cakes. We're from Maryland so we had pretty high expectations. My husbands crab stuffed shrimp were mostly filler with little crab meat. The shrimp were good sized tho. All in all the diner and staff were absolutely outstanding, the owner even talked fire house stuff with my husband (who bought a fire shirt right then and there to support local firefighters) but the food was pretty ordinary. We might try it again, they have a variety of food options , if we're ever in the area in the future. read more

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The food was incredible! The best fried chicken we ever ate in a restaurant. Our server was a lovely lady in Pioneer dress who was as warm as she was wonderful. This is a must go to whenever we return. The atmosphere is very clean and homey. Highly recommend. read more

This is a must stop for us everytime we're in Williamsburg. From the family atmosphere to the amazing service - and the outstanding food, there is nothing bad I can say about The Jefferson. Hands down, the best filet and onions I've ever had and the homemade dressing on the salad is to die for. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting the area. I promise you won't be disappointed. read more

Very, very enjoyable dinner. One had stuffed shrimp, one was fried chicken, I had Virginia ham fried chicken combo... We all enjoyed our dinners, sides and very fresh salad. Our server Brittany was FANTASTIC.... SO Personable, friendly and excellent service.... We all were very happy there. Just good atmosphere also. Highly recommend. Our meeting with Mark at the register was also very pleasant. read more

We were a group of 7 on a busy holiday weekend, they sat us quickly, without much of a wait at all. The waiter was wonderful, attentive and didn't miss a beat. Prompt service, from the bread, to salads and entrees. We had the crab stuffed shrimp, fried chicken, stuffed pork chops, southern steak and prime rib. Each dish was fresh, hot and tasted like a home cooked meal. Much like the area it is an older style decor, but we found it clean and cozy. read more

This was a very big weekend. My niece graduated from W&M. As a group, with family and friends that came to support her, we met at Jefferson Restaurant. There were 12 of us. Not a small party. This is not a big restaurant so 12 was a big deal. They could not have been more accommodating. We were treated like family they hadn't seen in a while. I can't remember the last time I felt so warmly welcomed at a restaurant. Our server was Georgia. I dearly wanted to call her Yaya Georgia. She was the cutest, sweetest older woman and bless her she is still carrying heavy dishes and trays of drinks. The owner/manager was a joy. He knew immediately that my niece was a W&M grad when we said the ceremony was the night before. He has been serving Tribe students for years and can recognize them right away. LOVED him. We all worked the menu from the flounder to pasta to fried chicken and steaks. Everyone was quiet as they ate because it was just too good to stop eating. I got the fried chicken and I think I found the best I've ever had. The sides weren't anything to write home about, just the main dishes. This is where they shine. They are known for their steaks and it's not false pride. They were huge and so tender. Seriously, I don't think you could go wrong with this menu. They have a small selection of wines and beers with a small selection of drinks that the bar can handle. I got a vodka crab and well, they like cranberry or must need to get rid of it. I'm glad as it shows a responsibility not to make strong drinks where the patrons drive impaired. No bueno. After we finished dinner, the other wner presented my niece and her friend with a graduation. Seriously, how absolutely wonderful is that? You think any of those bougie places would have done that? Nope! If you are in the Williamsburg area and need a dinner idea, look no further. Head right for this gem. You will be welcomed as family and sent home stuffed for a very reasonable amount. So worth it! read more

This restaurant was seriously so good! We wanted comfort food & comforted we were! I got the stuffed pork chop & my husband got fish and chips. Chef's kiss! It had a homey, welcoming feel. The staff are amazing as well! We were treated like family! If our visit were longer, I'd be back! read more

What a novelty this restaurant is in Williamsburg , this is exactly the type of restaurant I would expect to find in this town . It's traditional, it's outdated a bit but that leads to its charm and the food is as close to home cooking as one would expect . The service was wonderful, our waitress was so nice and sweet and fast . The ambience is as colonial old fashioned as one would expect . The food was amazing I had the flounder which was phenomenal!! My son and husband both had the crab cakes and peanut soup which was a first for them ever and they loved it and my little man had the pasta with tomato sauce. For dessert we had multiple different pieces of cake as well as pie . If you're in the area I recommend this place for anyone . read more

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Not a memorable experience. Stopped in for a quick bite v and ordered v the chicken fried steak. It was presented rat h er unusually, but was very tasty. My waitress was an elderly lady b and she never checked on me during the meal, and as I recall, requested more breadv which never came. The decorations were old and worn. While the environment was ok, the overall atmosphere needed a little tweeking. The result of which I have no plans to return read more

The Jefferson was very accommodating to my daughter and I on Christmas Eve. They welcomed us with open arms, the service was outstanding as was the food! I cannot recommend this restaurant enough to try while in Williamsburg. Our interaction took place on the phone first a few days prior and then in person. While our visit was about an hour, we were treated like family. This made our Christmas even more special. read more

The Jefferson Restaurant - Christmas Eve dinner at The Jefferson - Barbeque Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

My family and I ate there with our in-laws / 4 adults and a child and everything was just great. We had Georgia as a waitress and she was just amazing. Helped us out with everything. Service was home-style/family & the food was great comfort food and tasted great. We ordered steaks, seafood,salads- enjoyed all + deserts. Such a gem we stumbled across and if we make it back this way, we'll eat there again definitely. read more

The service is outstanding and it's a cute restaurant. They have a full bar for cocktails however no bar seating. I ordered the southern sampler which has fried chicken ham and ribs I got the peanut soup which was very good. However the ham was average and the ribs were boiled and covered in sauce. The fried chicken was good and I would return for that however not the other two items. read more

Family-owned establishment that gets a lot of attention, at least based on their advertisements in the local maps/guides as well as some flyers they had that I saw in our hotel. Either way, since we were staying in the area we decided to give a few places a try and this was one of them. The food was generally speaking, good. We had a decent group so I was able to try a nice variety of dishes. I myself had the Southern sampler which had the trio of friend chicken, ribs and ham (the Smithfield/salty one). I was a little apprehensive, based on some of the reviews here, but I can say generally speaking it was a good dish and the portions were immense. You get two lightly-fried piece of chicken (which tasted nice and flavorful, though the breast was a little dry) along with some fall-off-the-bone tender ribs that was actually my favorite part of the meal. The ham was good albeit a bit salty. I also tried the fried catfish, which was by far the best dish of the night. The fish was perfectly fried, light and really fresh. It also had some terrific flavor and was by far the most tasty entree I tasted. I also had a chance to try the ham entree (the sweet one). It was fine but a tad too sweet for my preference. However the ham itself was nicely prepared. I also enjoyed their homemade rolls as well as their homemade herb salad dressing. Both were nice little additions to the meal. This place has a nice/comfy ambiance. People were dressed in period garb, which was fine but somewhat confusing as the restaurant itself didn't give off the vibe that it was a colonial tavern. However, the folks here were very friendly and the host was very kind. Generally speaking, you can't go wrong if you choose this place to sample some good southern fare. read more

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Great spot wish I knew about it sooner. You must try the peanut soup! It's an old fashioned restaurant so don't expect otherwise. I had the scallop and shrimp fried platter it was amazing ! So fresh,lightly battered and light in color,further showing the fresh oil my meal was cooked in. Huge sweet scallops and perfectly cooked huge shrimp! Family owned and very nice attentive staff. I will definitely return! Looking forward to trying the Family owned pancake house down the street. read more

Fantastic meal! Excellent service. We enjoyed the ribs, chicken and ham. So yummy! And the staff were all so attentive. Definitely recommend this for a family meal! read more

Recently attended a retirement dinner there, the atmosphere was excellent. The staff were friendly, polite and provided the meals and drinks quickly. The food was exceptional and I highly recommend for family or office get togethers, or just for a nice evening out. read more

The Jefferson Restaurant is located in Williamsburg Virginia, not far from the historic district of town. I assume the restaurant is in honor of President Thomas Jefferson considering he is from the area. The restaurant is family owned which made it all that more appealing to me. The manager was there and he engaged well with us and other customers. Very military and first responder friendly so bring your credentials! it was not busy at all when we arrived. The servers where dressed in colonial style dress that for some reason creeped me out! The restaurant though clean, is in need of some renovation. The selection of food was kinda all of the place. I mean, they had a moderate selection of basic dishes from the time, then some other things you would not expect, like BBQ ribs. I had a rib, fried chicken combo with a couple of sides. My wife had the same minus the ribs. The chicken seems to be a popular item according to Yelp reviews, so I gave it a shot. Chicken was crispy, lightly seasoning and good. The ribs though, well they were let down for me. The were boiled, lightly brown then drowned with a lot of BBQ sauce. I also had green beans and mashed red potatoes with skins on; they were ok. The good thing about the dinning experience was speaking to other visitors from out of town. The manager came by and talked to us for a while too after pushing some desert on us. After we initially denied dessert, he suggestive sold it to us when he brought it for us to get a look at it first. It really is a nice "mom and pops" place. It does need some upgrades and the food is average, but the hospitality is second to none. Give them a visit if you are in the area! Happy Yelping! read more

The Jefferson Restaurant - The Jefferson Restaurant! It's cozy but needs some slight modifications. - Barbeque Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

I like that this restaurant is one to lean in to the historic feel - they got a carriage out front, the waitresses dress in a historic-y outfit. I'm all for that. The interior was giving me more 80s interior vibes than 18th century, but that's no big deal. Unfortunately, the food was a bit disappointing but okay. Positives: the bread rolls were good and they offer peanut soup and give samples first. I have tried it before but I guess people don't like it so it's smart to offer samples. It's like a liquid peanut butter and an old-fashioned dish and you know what, I love that it was offered. I love liquid hot peanut butter bowl of soup. I got the seafood platter which is about $30 and includes flounder, crab cake, scallops and shrimps which sounds good but it was all fairly bland. Maybe it was because I got it broiled but I've had broiled seafood before. It came with cocktail and tartar sauce. It was fine but it ended up feeling overpriced. The baked potato was standard. I think it's a nice restaurant but I don't know if it would come back. I liked the concept more than I liked the outcome. A+ for peanut soup though. read more

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Brian is an EXCELLENT server! In town for a friend's birthday weekend. What the taste of the food is lacking is covered by the delightful staff. The rolls are warm and delicious. My wing had a feather. The chicken breast was okay. Rice pilaf was over cooked. The green beans were tasty. The ribs were not my hubby's. Went to the restroom to wash my hands from the ribs and chicken. It was clean and shows it's age of 53 years. Wait! How can I forget dessert? The cheesecake with raspberry sauce was delicious!!! Overall a good experience. Thanks for the laughs Brian! read more

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Nothing to great about this place but the service. Georgia was a great waitress! Which is why there is a star. The food was not great at all. Had to send back our steaks because they were well done and when we received the new ones they were more on the rare side. Not a great experience the restaurant could take the time to dust and clean the vents. I love dessert but wouldn't dare try it literally not happy about this place to be honest first place wasn't great in Williamsburg read more

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If you are looking for plain and simple food. Come here. If you are looking for seafood, this isn't the place for it. They have great service and its a older style restaurant. No bells or whistles. Just country style cooking. It has a very nostalgic type if atmosphere read more

Our Grubbing Friends invited us over for a nice lunch. They wanted us to try something different than where we normally order, a traditional American restaurant in the rich colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, kind of way. We love the area, with its many fall-colored leaves and landscape. They took us to The Jefferson, a curious and small restaurant with offerings that are based on America's second President. An American family-style type of restaurant based on the late 1800s, the waitress and waiters were all dressed in late colonial attire. The restaurant had been around since the mid-1900s. Established in 1956, The Jefferson has been serving meals for 67 years. While the place does show some wear and tear and a few aging spots, the food, however, did not displease. Both the taste and portions were huge and packed with flavor. I tried the fried chicken with mashed potatoes, accompanied by a puddle of dark gravy. My partner had the crabcake along with a slice of Virginia ham, while our other Grubbing Buddy ordered a large plate of broiled filet of flounder. The taste of the food made up for the lackluster surroundings, and I plan to return and check out their other nearby, sister restaurant "Mama Steve's House of Pancakes." read more

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This evening, we ate the most satisfying dinner at The Jefferson Restaurant. Terry, our hostess served our table with warm and charm. From the crisp house salad to the hot homemade tomato bisque, through the broiled seafood sampler and the southern sampler, to their excellent chocolate dessert, we were healed from our road weary fatigue as only just the right food, in just the right atmosphere, can do. Thanks to all who fed us so well. read more

We came in early and the entire staff was very personable and treated us like family. Everything was delicious. The salad and crab cakes were good. My rib meat came right off the bone and the fried chicken was moist. My husband liked the stuffed shrimp and my daughter loved the corn bread stuffing with the pork cutlets. We didn't have room for dessert, but they all looked good. If we are ever in the area again we will definitely return. read more

The Jefferson Restaurant - a horse drawn carriage parked on the side of the road - Barbeque Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

Excellent service, Excellent atmosphere, Superb Menu & Quality. Detailed description of all foods and which meals were the favorites of customers. read more

Our experience was amazing! The staff and owner were fabulous! The food was wonderful and arrived quickly. Our servers were attentive and pleasant. We enjoyed immensely. read more

The food was delicious and the service was great! The owner was very kind and it is so fun that it is family owned. Our waitress was lovely. It was such a fun experience for us out of towners. read more

This seems like the kind of family-owned​tourist-focused​d restaurant​ that may have once been goo, perhaps great but now just dials it in. I'm guesing over the years they started taking shortcuts; cheaper ingredients, canned sauces and soups, lack of care in cooking things right. The wait staff is in period costumes​, of what era we could really tell, I'd say a 1970s interpretation fo the deep South in the 1800s. Our waitress wasn't​ quite rude so much as she was simply disinterested and made no effort to provide any kind of quality service. When asked about menu items we would get shoulder shrugs​ and comments like, "I don't know" try it butit's​s not really very good" I ordered a cup o tomato​ basil bisque, a soup that's fairly easy to make well. The soup was clearly from a can and not a better brand, more like a white lable store brand of tomato soup. It had dried basil and rosemary, likely from a cheap store brand dried spice. The rest of the meal was cheap and poorly​ prepared, each dish as disappointing​ as the last. I went to use the restroom and passed what appeared to be the family owners, typical of hosts who no longer care they were dressed in jeans and t-shirts while presenting a themed dinner club-style​ establishment, they were hanging out front, sort of in the way watching tv while others worked around them. Again kind of typical​ of people​ who no longer care and just expect the money​ to keep coming in off the unknowing tourists. I would​ give it 1 star but the decor was interesting, the colleciton of brass cookware​ that decorated the walls was also interesting and some of the staff was friendly. This is the kind fo place that needs​ a Food Network show to come in and help them regain their​ commitment and passion. read more

The Jefferson Restaurant - Tomato bisque - Barbeque Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

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The food was absolutely delicious. I had the Scandinavian chicken stuffed with crabmeat and my bestie had the rockfish with crabmeat. Let me tell you we tried to get that recipe for the crab cakes because it was the freshest most delicious moist crabmeat seasoned wonderfully. Terri was our server and she was the sweetest and so attentive. She even got us to get some delicious dessert. We also tried the peanut soup which I've never heard of and it was good. Wonderful experience and if you're in Williamsburg you must include dinner here in your trip. EJ was the cashier and was also very hospitable. read more

The Jefferson Restaurant - Scandinavian chicken stuffed with crabmeat and Rockfish with crabmeat. - Barbeque Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

The food, especially the crab cakes was mediocre at best. Although my husband's steak dinner was better. Attentive waiter, nicely appointed tables; though the inside reminds me of an old restaurant. Nothing special ambiance wise. Would we eat here again, no; for the money we spent we expect better quality food. read more

We are visiting The Historic Triangle and what a great find in Williamsburg. We liked this place so much we ate dinner there 2-nights in a row. Friendly staff and wonderful service. The peanut soup is a must. Entrees are reasonably priced with generous portions. read more

BELOW average food that's WAY overpriced. I should have known better when we got right in while every other place in town had at least a 30-minute wait. Their Delmonico steak is a joke. Delmonicos are supposed to be thick. We both received a thin pulverized piece of beef that might have been a ribeye at some point in the past. They burnt my wife's baked potato(?????). It reminded me of high school cafeteria food but the price shocked us. Both of us each got the Delmonico steak with the two included sides and NOTHING else (not even a drink) and it came to almost $80. If you want steak and seafood go to Opus 9. You check will be higher but it will be a far better value. You'll get what you paid for. read more

Oh my goodness! This place is a hidden treasure. We didn't know what to expect, but so glad we stopped in. We started our meal with the Hot Crab Fifi a la Crème. Crab cake with a three-cheese sauce on top? Amazing. We then had the peanut soup. It was our first peanut soup, no nothing to compare it to, but so good! I had the crab stuffed flounder, which was stunning. My husband had the broiled fish platter. He is picky about his food, especially when it comes to scallops, but he left nothing on his plate, even saving a scallop for the last bite as it was his favorite part of the meal. We shared a slice of a peanut mousse cake which was very rich. Our server was so attentive, and even gave me a copy of the peanut soup recipe without asking! The owner stopped to talk with us for a bit. It was just such a relaxing atmosphere, and we didn't let a scrap of food sit on our plates. This is obviously a restaurant that takes great pride in its offerings and service. We would without hesitation eat here again! read more

We arrived early (about 4PM). The parking lot was full so we were afraid that it is too busy. There were only 2 tables with customers which surprised us. The restaurant is something out of the 1950s. Our table had dried food along the edges that hadn't been cleaned in ages. Our server's Colonial garb was filthy. She wasn't very friendly, although she did bring us water when we sat down without us asking. We would have left by my spouse chose this place for her birthday meal. I ordered salmon and my wife ordered scallops. The salad that came with my meal was about 1/2C of lettuce, one ring of onion and one ring of green pepper served with a small cup of dressing. My wife ordered the peanut soup which was pretty bland. Her scallops were OK, but my salmon which was supposed to be cooked in lemon butter was a slab of dry fish with a wedge of lemon served on the side. The bottom was black as was the bottom of my baked potato which came with a packet of sour cream on the side. This entire meal was over-priced for what it was. There is nothing that make us choose this restaurant in the future. First visit was our last. read more

Service is great. Food was good but nothing special in my opinion, pricey for what it is. Restaurant was clean but dated. Not one of our favorites I would eat here if I was invited but probably won't be back on my own. read more

We made reservations for 730. We were seated early after being met by a nice woman at the desk. She quickly brought water and took our drink order. We both ordered the tomato bisque... it was a basic tomato soup, smooth like bisque should and would be. We were served crusty bread with soft butter. ( soft butter y'all) I make a point of this because how many places have you been and the bread comes with these lil cold bricks of butter. Anyways way to go this was awesome too! PS ask for a sample of the Peanut soup. I'll let you make your decision. yes I said peanut ! While dining we enjoyed conversations with 2 of the family's generations as well as other diners. It was a nice change to all this Covid crap. I ordered the filet. Y'all this filet was hands down the best filet I had in awhile. It was covered in fried onions and came with mashed redskin potatoes. My husband ordered the crab stuffed shrimp . He said they were delicious. Guys the service was terrific . It felt like eating at home with friends. If you read a review that was swaying you.... skip that silliness. You won't be sorry. PS we got dessert to go. I'll Post Pics of that! I repeat! Eat here! read more

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This is one of those restaurants I just felt in my heart was going to be a home run but I was a little disappointed. Food was just average. Fried chicken was over cooked and tough. I had seafood platter. Crab cake was excellent, one of the best I've had. The fish was flounder and it was good but lacked seasoning. Shrimp was ok but overcooked. Scallops were way overcooked and very rubbery. I couldn't eat them. Probably should have gotten the seafood platter broiled. The restaurant has been open a long time and I have to assume I hit a bad day. Would probably give it another try just based on the crab cake, did I mention it was very good? Server was very pleasant and helpful. read more

Excellent food & service last night at The Jefferson Restaurant. Many choices on the menu. Had the blackened catfish & loaded baked potato with green beans, my husband had the southern combination of ham and fried chicken, mashed potatoes & gravy & greens beans too. Both were equally delicious! We were ready to get our ticket, when the waitress brought a selection tray of yummy looking desserts. Since she went to all the trouble of bringing the heavy tray, we had to choose one, so we decided on the banana/chocolate piece of cake to share. Oh my!! It was heaven. Oh and let me tell you the atmosphere was like stepping back in time. Colonial decor & even the servers were dressed colonial style. If you're hungry and want great food and service, you must stop at The Jefferson Restaurant. read more