Williamsburg Tavern Style Restaurants

My wife and I will be coming to CW in late August. We%26#39;d like to eat a dinner meal at one of the famous tavern restaurants. Is there one that is the better one? Do they all have staff in Colonial costume? Will one in particular give us a better Colonial experience? Thanks for your advice

Williamsburg Tavern Style Restaurants

The 3 taverns for dinner are King%26#39;s Arms, Shields, and Christiana Campbell%26#39;s. Chowning%26#39;s serves a lighter, supper type meal, and it%26#39;s fun, too.

All of the taverns have servers in correct period dress, and entertainment (fiddler, troubadour, story-teller) as well. You can view the menus for each tavern on the Colonial Williamsburg website www.colonialwilliamsburgresort.com/dining

I think any of the three will give you a good experience, although I%26#39;m partial to Shields when Mr. Shields is in residence.

Williamsburg Tavern Style Restaurants

We really like the colonial taverns in Williamsburg. As Zoey said, check out the menus to help you decide which one you would prefer. Since my husband is partial to seafood, he likes Campbell%26#39;s, but I have a preference the peanut soup and the chicken at the King%26#39;s Arms. Make your reservations before you come since the time slots fill up quickly.

Hi, Alabama -

King%26#39;s Arms is the most formal-looking of the taverns, followed by Campbell%26#39;s and then Shield%26#39;s, although ';formal'; is a relative concept when it comes to a backwater colony in the 18th-century! Just don%26#39;t get stuck in the windowless basement of Shield%26#39;s -- definitely the ';low point'; of tavern dining (pun intended).

I think darkness and candlelight really up the ante on the colonial experience, so try to make your reservations for later in the evening when you can enjoy that.

Chownings is a great place for lunch, if you want more experiences with food. No reservations, so you may find yourself waiting in line.

Have fun!

Was at Kings Tavern last week for lunch. Food was plain, I had the chicken, tasted girlfriends pottage pye also plain. I dont know if thats colonial style but was expecting a lot more after reading reviews. Servers were dressed in costume but very unattentive and had no knowledge of the brews/ales they were serving...wasnt a BAD experience but not one that I would repeat

Nomonoloco%26#39;s penchant for avoiding the Shield%26#39;s Tavern Cellar is contrary to her ';darkness and candlelight'; feeling. In fact, many diners request the Cellar at Shield%26#39;s for that very reason, as candlelight is all that illuminates the area, day and night. In addition, one of the original fireplaces from the 1950%26#39;s and 1980%26#39;s excavation is down there as well.

For ambiance, good food, and the presence of Mr. and Mrs. Shields, this may be your best choice.

Enjoy your visit.

Alas, Bixdoc knows me too well! It%26#39;s true I just don%26#39;t like that basement, and not only because of the claustrophobic atmosphere occasionally lifted by the glaring fluorescent lighting escaping from the service area. I can%26#39;t see how it in any way replicates a colonial tavern experience, since tavern guests would never have been served in the cellar in the 18th century. Or so I%26#39;ve read.

But I%26#39;ll take her report on its popularity with others as proof that Colonial Williamsburg knows its market. And THAT is a good thing!

Dining in the cellar of Christiana Campbell%26#39;s is quite an experience if you have a waiter who likes to talk while serving. We found out many interesting trivia items about this particular cellar including the fact that it is the only original part of the tavern. I also think the cozy atmosphere of the this cellar adds to the ambiance of the dining experience. But, if you have a preference for a seating area, make your request when you make your reservations.

Thanks so much for everyone%26#39;s suggestions and tips!

So how far ahead of time do you need to make reservations for the taverns? We%26#39;re planning on coming in early August too.

A week should be O.K. If there are large group resevations for your particular tavern, it may be necessary to adjust your seating time, but seven days should assure you the time you want.

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