Byers Street Bistro — Restaurant in Staunton

First off, the decor and food deserves 5 stars. But the service deserves 3, so I went for the middle and gave 4. Service determines how comfortable I am, and that takes precedence over food. There was a wait. I understand having a wait when you show up in the middle of the lunch hour, but the hostess wasn't very polite and seemed overwhelmed by all the people waiting. Our waitress did not provide good service. It took awhile to get our drinks, then getting a refill was almost impossible. We even set our empty cups at the end of the table, waiting, waiting, almost done with our meal, finally wave her over and she only brings a refill for the person that asked. That was the only time she came to our table throughout the meal. When it came time for the check, we waited so long for her to return to take payment, we decided to pay with cash instead so we could just leave. The decor is amazing art, lights, architectural features. They have restrooms upstairs and downstairs, how smart is that!?! It's much louder downstairs than up. They also have outdoor seating, which had a much longer wait. The food....had the fried pickles. I have to say these were the best I've had. And I order these often. The breading was the best texture and taste, and lightly salted. Arrived super hot, but was so good we kept fighting the heat just to eat another slice. The dipping sauce wasn't too spicy, had a great flavor. For the meal I had the chicken tostada salad. It has a lot of ingredients and they all blend so well together. I ended up being full but kept eating anyways because the flavors mix so well you just can't waste any! The salad dressing wasn't spicy, but had more of the flavor of jalapeno than the spice. Perfect addition. The lettuce was a nice mix. The grilled chicken had a nice crunch, with a grilled taste, but tender at the same time. And it wasn't a few wimpy slices, it was a large portion. I loved the addition of the tostada, which tasted freshly made, so flaky and fried. The flavors and veggies and bacon merry so well together that every bite is delicious and pushed you to take...

So, let me start by saying the food was excellent. So happy with that. They were very accommodating concerning our dog. We were seated on the patio, of course, and it worked out well for our chocolate lab.

The 2 star rating is really for two reasons. The small issue was an ingredient being left our salads. Salad was still delicious but would have been better with the forgotten goat cheese. The cheese was offered to me 3/4’s of the way through my meal. My husband had finished his salad by that point. The bigger issue to me was my husbands beer. The original glass was cracked. He noticed this after taking his first drink. We gave the beer back to the waitress who spilled the original beer into a new glass. It came back to the table short so I asked if it was the same beer. The waitress said yes and assured us there was no chance that any glass shards could be in the beer from the way the crack was presented on the glass. We insisted that we’d prefer a fresh beer in a new glass. She did bring us the new beer but seriously, it looked like she measured the original beer. The new beer came filled about 2/3’s of the way full. It was the strangest feeling. We weren’t looking for more than we paid for but that’s how we were left feeling. Not sure I would consider us satisfied. As someone in customer service in the food industry, I would have brought a new glass and a full beer the first time around. 🤷🏻‍♀️

My teenaged son who ordered the Ruben and Brussels sprouts was very happy with his meal. The smoked chicken nachos were...

Byers Street Bistro in downtown Staunton is a local favorite with a strong following, and I can see why on the surface. The location is great—right along a charming street with a relaxed indoor space and a dog-friendly outdoor patio. The staff was welcoming, and the service itself was friendly and attentive. They’re doing a good job on that front.

However, for me, the food didn’t quite live up to the hype. I found it average at best—well-presented but lacking in freshness and flavor. Ingredients didn’t feel particularly vibrant, and a few things tasted like they’d been prepped well ahead of time rather than made fresh. Nothing was inedible, but nothing really stood out either. For a place with such a strong reputation, the food felt more like generic pub fare than thoughtfully prepared bistro dishes.

I understand that others may have had better experiences—reviews seem to praise dishes like the pork chops, crab dip, and fried green tomatoes—but my visit didn’t hit those marks. With some tweaks to sourcing, prep, or menu execution, I could see this place rising to meet its ambiance and service.

📝 Final Take Great location, warm service, and a laid-back vibe—but the food didn’t feel fresh or distinctive enough to make it memorable for me. I’d return for a drink on the patio or to give it another try, but based on this visit, the kitchen still has some work to do to match...