The Sign of the Buck — Restaurant in Gettysburg

went on a Tuesday even for my sons 20th birthday with a party of for. we where running a few minutes late called and told the hostess. she was very nice and understanding. seated right upon arrival. restaurant was beautiful on the inside. chic but still comfortable and warm.. I ordered the last word and my wife the bees knees. drinks where very good. as a 20+ year veteran in high end cocktail bar I can say one of the best last words I have had. simple drink really but so often not made well. kudos to the bartender. apps we got the charging oysters and mushroom tartine for apps. the pickled rhubarb on the oysters was very tasty, but the oysters where so small ( maybe the size if a nickle) there flavor was non existing, wife and son said the mushroom tartine was good. For entrees my wife got the trout. it was good but the gnocchi stole the show. perfectly cooked, like little pillows that melted in your mouth. excellent dish. my sons girl friend ordered the burger which she enjoyed but she is a "well done only cheese" kinda person soooo..... enougb said. the fries and aioli on side where very good. my son got the venison steal and it was cooked perfectly as he requested ( medium rare ) and the hunter sauce was really nice and complimented nicely. the potatoe rosti and asparagus where, honestly prepared well but puny in portion. fine for the price but when you see more plate than food it just seems underwhelming. I ordered the pork chop and requested medium. the dish was a great comfort food kinda deal. tasted good but the porkchop was definitely well done and dry, fortunately the potatoe puree and cabbage helped it out. it was something that I could make at home but was satisfied for the price. would definitely recommend a thicker cut and brining it first. this could have been a 4 star but the waitress, while nice was barely there. not saying we really waited long, but I saw the lady running food, the gentleman serving tables by us more than she was in the room. maybe she had a table in the bar area next door that was needy and taking her time. the hostess and food runner bussed more dishes than she did. over all nothing was bad , but nothing was a stand out enough to bring me back. as a side note never a fan of a bottle of water on the table to serve myself. condensation gets the table wet and the water is not cold by the time you pour a second glass, but that is a personal thing. when its not busy there is no reason the server should not be able to keep up with filling water. so in conclusion it was alright. price point was decent for what they are serving but nothing to rave...

First time in Gettysburg so asked the concierge in my hotel if he could recommend a restaurant with my caveat being if you only have one night in town - and you’re a foodie with a chef husband - where is THE do not miss place. And he didn’t even have to think about it. Hands down Sign of the Buck is where I should go. But he said reservations are a must so I jumped onto Resy and booked a spot for 7pm. I am SO glad I took his advice because not only was this place incredible for Gettysburg but it is one of the most memorable meals I have had in Pennsylvania…period. Charming decor, very elegant and cozy. Hostess was warm and welcoming. My server was an adorable young lady and took great care of me throughout the evening. When it comes to cocktails - the options are extensive. They ALL look so tempting. But they smoked House Old Fashioned was the winner and it was incredible. Not too smokey which suits my taste so I was a happy camper. Starters were a tough choice too - had a tough time deciding but I finally chose the roasted Brussels Sprouts which sounded incredible from the description and they were phenomenal. So often they are either undercooked and hard or over cooked and mushy. They hit it out of the park. Crispy. Tender. Perfectly cooked and flavored with a cheese - I forget the name - and balsamic reduction they were just awesome. For my entree that was a no brainer. Venison of course! I mean this place is called Sign of the Buck so I figured the venison had to be their specialty. And that was for sure the right decision because it was the most beautiful presentation and the meat was cooked to perfection - medium rare as I requested. The accompaniments didn’t look like much at first glance. Pretty but when I tried them the squash and potatoes were superb and paired beautifully with the meat. As I devoured my meal I noticed more and more people arriving - clearly the word is out that this place is where it’s at in Gettysburg. Though I was stuffed and could have skipped dessert - my waitress brought me the menu and I just figured what the hell - I’ve come this far. Let’s go all the way. Baba with Calvados and maple cream!? Yes please. I am bummed I live 4+ hours away from here or I wouldn’t hesitate to make this place my staple for date night. Can’t wait until I return to this beautiful town again and will be sure to book a reservation before I come. Pretty sure these will be tougher to come by once word gets around about this jewel of Gettysburg! Cheers to Chef and team for a...

A friend recommended this restaurant and all I can say is we will definitely be back. I'm going to start with the only criticism I have for this place, and that is that it is too loud. I see they have done their best putting noise baffles on the ceiling, but frankly it needs more to absorb the sound in this tight, hard space.

That said, hands down five stars all the way. This is one of the most eclectic and tasty meals I've had in a long time, and I don't really want to tell the restaurant this, but I think the prices are actually pretty reasonable for the quality of what you're getting.

We looked at their tasting menu, but in our opinion, it really was more of a price fixed menu. Basically, for $70, you could choose one appetizer, one entree, etc. It may be a decent deal, but we really just wanted to try a variety, which is how I would define a tasting menu.

We ordered three or four of the appetizers, from the carrots, to the tuna, to the bread, to the polenta, and maybe there was even another, I don't recall. Every one of them was really fantastic. I may pass on the bread next time just because it ended up being heavier and richer than I anticipated, but boy was it all good.

We had a salad that was very fresh and delicious, and also the venison chops. This one I had some trouble with, not because it wasn't delicious, but because I just can't make myself enjoy venison. I guess when I see them standing in my backyard all day, there's something mentally I cannot get over. I did taste it, and it was absolutely delicious the way it was prepared, perfectly cooked medium rare with a wonderful sauce. My one request would be to offer this same dish in a lamb option for folks like me :-) .

Along those lines, they do have a New York strip with their steak frites option, but I would love to see what this chef could do with a really nice fillet.

Wonderful mixed drinks, terrific service, just all around a fabulous experience and look forward...