Aberdeen Barn Steakhouse — Restaurant in Williamsburg

My man surprised me with a dinner here for my birthday… Drove an hour to get there... let me say I’m not sure how this place got 4.4 stars…either you don’t know good food or you’re ok with bland undercooked steaks and nasty breaded scallops & shrimp..The atmosphere was not it for me.. country vibe tight space if large parties are coming.. Anywhooo.. let’s start with appetizers.. the crab dip was nasty wasn’t expecting that to be cold & runny unseasoned crab dip… then we had 4 orders of oysters two regular raw & two of the oyster Burgundy..the raw oysters were ok..the oyster burgundy do not waste your time..very tiny baked oysters with cheese thrown on it…also got the bacon wrapped scallops & shrimp they were mediocre at best the shrimp was a bit overcooked it was doable though…moving on to entrees for the salads just expect one large onion ring, one grape tomato and one black olive with two cucumbers.. I ordered a heavy cut steak medium well.. with mashed potatoes.. about 15 minutes later I got my food cut into it and it’s was basically bleeding as if it was still raw...Apparently the cooks don’t know about temp checks on steaks.. I normally get ribeyes & I should’ve stuck with my gut, but I didn’t.. so my typical experience is at any steak house if they mess up my steak they make me a new one..Well, not this place… they decided to take the steak that I cut into after I had already had my mouth on a fork I stuck the steak with and put it back on the grill… I’m not sure if that’s very sanitary seeing as to how my mouth was on that fork & you’re handling a steak using utensils to flip steak that other people maybe getting. No thanks, I don’t want that steak back…once you mess it up and recook it after cutting it open it would not be cooked correctly, it’ll then be overcooked because now you have to get it back to the right temp.. the pork chop was cooked nicely just under seasoned she didn’t even eat it.. the other party had thick cut potatoes with “fried” shrimp & scallops.. I tell you what if I wanted breaded shrimp & scallops out a box I’d go shop at my local grocery store.. my brother took the breading off & still couldn't stomach it.. I don’t recommend this place unless you just don’t have any other place in mind to eat.. I would’ve settled for Fleming Steakhouse or Firebirds..This place was not worth a hour drive or ruining my birthday. Nothing at that table was worth 300 dollars. We usually leave about 76 dollars tip for a tab this high..well since my birthday was ruined nobody got anything I don’t care I tip based off my service & experience.. the manager told me I couldn’t get a new steak I had to eat that one they messed up.. but then once other persons spoke up he then offered for me to get another entree or a desert.. NO THANKS once my food is ruined I no longer have an appetite & Im ready to go. I will NOT be returning. Good luck I hope someone else’s experience was better than mines.. the food is not great. You can cook that food at home. Go somewhere with good food or eat here if you like unseasoned steaks and out of the box seafood. DO NOT WASTE YOUR...

It had been many years since I had been to this particular Aberdeen Barn. I’ve been here a couple of times and to the Charlottesville location a couple of times, but hadn’t been to either in about 10 years. So, when I knew I would be in the area for business recently I made reservations here for a group of 5 for dinner.

What I recalled about Aberdeen Barn from my past visits was the it was dark, cozy, and had “old style” steakhouse type furniture, with barrel chairs. I also recalled the crock of cheese and pretzel sticks and the visible dry-age locker when you walk in. Upon entering this time, I was so taken aback from how bright it was that I completely missed if the dry-age meat locker was visible. The furniture and everything else was exactly the same as I remember, but they REALLY need to reduce the lighting in there… This is not the place you make bright, especially with the older style furniture that they have.

Aside from the décor and venue not being what I remembered and expected, the rest of the visit and dinner was excellent! Harris was our server and he was spot-on what I recall about the service there, which was very friendly, “down home southern” style accommodating, and helpful. He did a great job taking care of our group, keeping us informed on our food and telling us about preparation and everything as we went.

The food was great! And for the prices, it’s a nice deal! We started with their bacon wrapped shrimp and scallops and both were really good! Definitely nice, large shrimp and scallops and great, fresh flavors! Next up were the salads that came with the entrées and those were decent. I like that they bring a few dressings and pour them for you tableside. Entrées were next and everyone enjoyed what they ordered. The steaks were cooked just right and were flavorful. I like a nice, char-grilled steak with simple salt & pepper and that’s what it tasted like. Sides were nice too.

Save room for dessert, they have a decent selection of desserts to choose from. Those were definitely enjoyed as well.

I’d return, but it might be a long time until I do as I’d prefer the ambiance of what it used to be more than what they’ve turned it into. “Don’t modernize something that doesn’t need it!” In fact, if it weren't the the great service provided by our server and the food being so nicely done - I'd give this review 3 stars instead of 4, simply because of the...

From the moment we walked into this place, we felt like a welcome family member. Jeanne was our waitress and she was wonderful. We got the special 3 course dinner and it was the best experience I've had in an eatery here in Williamsburg. The cheddar cheese spread on the crackers was a great starter and the crab bisque soup was excellent. The salad was fresh and I got the peppercorn dressing and the wife got blue cheese. Both were delicious. We then each had the prime rib which, if not the best, is in the top three best prime ribs I've had in my life. The baked potato was very fluffy and my wife loved it. I got the Barn fries and although I do not like Bay seasoning, I love these fries. The Bay seasoning was properly done with a slight flavor rather than overpowering. The scallops were cooked to perfection and very juicy while being crispy. The bread and butter was another highlight. I do not know what type of bread that was, but I ate three rolls and finished my entire meal. It was delicious! I had had several people in the past tell me that Aberdeen Barn was a good place to go eat, but this is my first chance to visit. I will be going back many times in the future and I recommend this place highly!

2021-01-23 A friend and I stopped in and I had the prime rib and baked potato. It is unbeatable and I can't tell you how much I enjoy this place. Excellent service! The food is fantastic.

2021-05-04. Wife and I had the prime rib and I had the garlic red mashed potatoes while the wife had the baked potato. A crock of cheese and saltines were given to us at the beginning of the meal and we finished the cheese and crackers. The mashed potatoes were fantastic as was the prime rib. It melts in your mouth! At the end of the meal we had the brownie with ice cream and fudge sauce. This trip though there was something that I must mention. The waiter was the most polite and excellent individual I have ever had waiting on me. He was so friendly and full of old stories about the restaurant and I couldn't say how much it improved the meal over an already perfect meal. I will have to say that every time I am in Williamsburg I will be stopping here for an excellent...