Chop House Tavern — Restaurant in Staunton

The wife and I are self proclaimed foodies... we often eat out both Friday and Saturday nights, and we have fairly high standards. This restaurant recently opened in Staunton, and is owned by the folks at the Local Chop and Grill House in Harrisonburg... arguably one of the top 2 or 3 restaurants in that city. We have eaten at that location several times in the last couple of years, and we would give it 9 to 10 ratings across the board. Thus we visited the new Staunton Location with high expectations.

The server was excellent... a 9, as he was a bit rushed. The drinks from the bar a 10 (Manhattan and Old Fashioned). The vibe was very good - with a tavern-like feel... a 10 as well... a great feel for a romantic dinner. The appetizers were just okay: the Chop House salad not good so a 3... the Duck Leg tasty - a solid 7... the Goat Cheese platter a 6. The Filet Mignon? Let's call it a Tenderloin instead, as we both agreed it was not a top shelf cut of meat. Was it tender, cooked perfectly, and well seasoned? Yes... so we would rate it an 8... however, it is not up to the same standards of meat we experienced at the Harrisonburg location. As is our view with the restaurant overall. We would call it a step down from the Local Chop and Grill House. Because of this, the overall experience would probably be a 7. Would we return? Maybe, however raise the bar with the steak, and definitely step it up with the appetizers. Probably worth one more shot in a couple months, but there is room for improvement... however, the potential is definitely there. Question: do you wish to be THE BEST restaurant in Staunton? Or just one of many above...

My husband and I ate here on a Wednesday evening. We started with the crab dip appetizer and it was very enjoyable. They were able to accomodate my gluten allergy with celery sticks instead of bread. We ordered cocktails- a Spring bounty which was delicious and a Manhattan which was lacking the bitters. My husband ordered the scallops and seasonal vegetable. The sauteed beets and greens were the best part of the dish. The scallops were mediocre. I ordered the sirloin steak and asparagus. The steak was just okay. Very little to no seasoning, and both of us felt like the protein was hiding behind the "sauce of choice" rather than being the star of the show. I had my heart set on the burger and fries and was so sad that the fries were not in a "gluten free" fryer. Would love to see them mark their menu with gluten free options and have a dedicated fryer for the fries! They are willing to accomadate when possible and ask about any allergies at the beginning of the meal which is so appreciated. I did not feel like I was an inconvenience. My husband ordered the chocolate cake for dessert and it wasn't what he expected, but it was okay. The service was good and atmosphere is lovely. Overall, it was adequate but we expected something a little more elevated based on the reviews we had...

I want to preface this review by saying the Harrisonburg location was our go to for any celebration type dinner for 4 years. We have been to the Staunton location 4 times since it opened. Every visit up to tonight was a 5 star plus on service and food. Everyone is allowed an "off night" tonight was very off! Went tonight for my birthday. Service was very bad. My cocktail was empty but our server was too busy hanging out at the bar talking to an employee that "got off early " to bother to notice or offer another cocktail. My scallops were raw. My steak was rare not medium. My potatoes were cold. Finally got servers attention to get a second beverage and it took forever to get: despite the restaurant being fairly empty and having enough staff they were sending them home early. Just not the 5 stars we usually get here. Normally I'll have 3 cocktails, an appetizer, dinner, dessert...it's a full course celebration. Tonight I gave up settled for 2 drinks and skipped dessert. Just wasn't worth staying any longer for the food or service. Left all my potatoes and half my steak. Like I said everyone is allowed an off night and we will give them another shot- if this was our first experience we probably would not be so inclined...