County Seat Restaurant & Gathering Place — Restaurant in Virginia

We were really looking forward to revisiting County Seat in Powhatan after several years away, especially with fond memories of their buffet. When we arrived on a Friday evening around 6 p.m., we were a bit surprised to find it much quieter than expected. After a short wait at the entrance, we were seated and eventually greeted by our server, who was very kind and took our drink orders promptly.

We opted for the buffet, recalling how much we had enjoyed it in the past. While we had to wait for plates to be brought out, we noticed the selection was much smaller than we remembered. As we tried the food, we found that most items had a very strong smoky flavor, which may appeal to some, but was a bit overwhelming for our tastes. The chicken wings were on the dry side, and the mac and cheese also had a pronounced smoky profile. One bright spot was the rolls—they were just as good as we remembered.

Service throughout the meal was a bit inconsistent. At times, it felt like the staff was more focused on their own meals and conversations at the bar than on guests. One moment that stood out was when we observed a server standing at the bar eating chicken wings while holding a plated slice of cake, which was then taken directly to a customer. While this may have been a simple oversight, it did raise some concerns about food handling.

We also waited quite a while for our server to return with the check, though another friendly staff member eventually stepped in to assist.

Overall, while this visit didn’t quite meet our expectations based on past experiences, we recognize that every restaurant can have an off day. We truly hope County Seat can return to the quality and atmosphere we once enjoyed. For now, though, we may wait a while before giving it...

This place has some amazing servers and management but some of the servers leave something to be desired. I was in the other night and was getting great service but at the bar, there was a server that told a customer they were buying her a shot. She also proceeded to eat at the bar (she was eating a piece of chicken and honey) taking the time to lick her fingers. 🤢During this time she was still taking care of customers, kept touching her hair, let someone stuff money in her bra and was in general loud and inappropriate. Has no one ever told her that yelling out for other servers and even a manager is disruptive in a dining atmosphere? Later a “gentleman” was behind the bar, talking to guest so loud it was disruptive to our dining experience. While everyone else wears a shirt that says “County Seat”, he was wearing a white tank top undershirt. It doesn’t portray a quality dining atmosphere and it was a turn off and makes me question going back. Both seemed a little too comfortable that they feel they can act this way while everyone else is respectful, welcoming and doing their jobs efficiently as possible. However every other time I’ve come in, I’ve had great food and service and I haven’t engaged with the two previous mentioned employees before now. But if you want good food, come and sit in the dining room. If you want to see the circus,...

I came with a friend who raved about this reataurant in Powhatan and I first thought it would be a great adventure in an small community south of the James River. It did not take long, however, for that hope to be dashed, as the waitress had other plans, seemingly more interested in serving up whatever disdain she might muster.

First, it was the gruffness in the welcome, which was more like a I really cannot be bothered, followed-up by an absolute indifference that made me wonder why she even bothered to be a waitress at all. And, while this might be beyond her control, how does a Southern restaurant serve iced tea unsweetened and with no warning, and expect you to sweeten it by adding sugar to a glass full of chipped crushed ice? It is NOT done.

When the meal was served, the French fries were served cold, as if prepared in bunches an hour beforehand and kept under a heat lamp three feet away, I can only suppose; and the crab cake sandwich was hardly any warmer. The tomato was grown in a greenhouse somewhere in Nunavut, it was so awful.

I'm not sure how an eatery that was packed on Friday night enjoys a clientele, except that it's been around for 30 years. Tonight, though, was not...