Spring House Restaurant, Kitchen & Bar — Restaurant in Winston-Salem

I have been two other times . I need to say we went on a Thursday night and the restaurant was only 1/3 to 1/2 full which provided a nice chill atmosphere. Music was really loud, especially for my mom with hearing aids. Hostess was professional and kind, pointing out step hazards on the way to the table. We were not approached right away but I don't know how many servers were working. Our server was nice and I liked her but she seemed distracted and disassociated a bit. This would continue until about 2/3 way through service where she seemed to click in. I got bread service which was nice but I don't love the butter presentation. The slices (thin) are nice, but as soon as you try to get your own butter, it all smashes together. All of the bread was good, although I would have liked the biscuits to be more flaky. The foccacia was excellent. We also ordered the street corn dip which was fantastic. Honestly I secretly wanted fritos but the chips that came with it were okay. My daughter and I ordered onion soup and even though common sense dictates soup should be hot, this was boiling hot. My daughter burned her tongue and face so let your soup cool! Most soup is served too cold so nice to be served hot soup although I had to wait 10 minutes to eat it. It was VERY good however. A lot of flavors layered in there. My dad got the special Salmon and it was impressive with a large variety of flavors and sauces. Really nice herb presentation of the salmon and he said it was cooked nicely. My mom had the shrimp which were fresh (not fishy) with a nice stuffing. This was served with alfredo pasta which was fine, but the sauce was no existent and had been absorbed into the pasta. My son in law had the duck and he about ate the plate so that's all I'm going to say about that. He said the green beans were the best green beans he had ever had in his life. My daughter had the chicken gnocchi and she said she couldn't taste the lemon and didn't seem wild about it, but I didn't taste it. I did taste the pasta and shrimp dish. And I did taste the salmon special. I didn't have time to taste the duck. I forgot to mention I ordered a blueberry lemonade from the bar while we were waiting for my kids to arrive and it was forgotten by the server and I had to ask for it 20 minutes later (no big deal) but not what I would expect in this type of restaurant. We also had to ask for a carafe of ice water which my parents were drinking even though another table was brought one automatically. Not sure there is a process for the water though. It's summer and the glasses are small for water. I also didn't like the small mason jars as glasses. They are akward to drink out of in my opinion (larger mason jars would be easier). I know its supposed to be cute and themed but I just found them difficult to hold and drink out of. The iced tea was amazing and I"m super picky about my tea. Like seriously. What the heck do you guys do to that? Probably the best I've ever had anywhere. I had the regular salmon which was slightly overcooked but I like it that way so it was all good. I didn't like the lobster sauce it was too rich for me but it tasted good and had good flavor. The cabbage was wonderful. I really liked the contrasting flavors. Overall, the food was amazing, fresh and a hit and I would have happily given five stars but my parents thought the service was really sub par. They are very very generous with large portions. You will not leave hungry. Regarding the server, I thought she picked it up toward the end, maybe she was less busy. Of course I would come here again as its fun to try the seasonal menus and the chef in my opinon is excellent as well as his kitchen. Also, nothing to do with the restaurant but please be careful. There was a deal happening on the street outside the restaurant. Lock your cars if you park on the street or even in the parking lot. It is downtown Winston and thats interesting sometimes.....Gorgeous garden, patio and history. Very fun date place, would be a cool wedding...

So disappointing. Had tickets to a show and thought it would be nice to have a nice dinner prior. The reviews seemed decent and the restaurant looked lovely so took a chance. Once again we spent way more on food that I could have made better at home. To start - the restaurant, the gardens, etc. are all lovely. Perfect setting, more than adequate parking, etc. Nice interior - the room we were put in (four tables, windows on several sides) was nice but we all noticed the wallpaper peeling, chips in the paint, etc. Could be considered 'shabby chic' but later realized that it was demonstrative of their lack of attention to detail. The server was completely inadequate. First time there and one diner had questions about the history of the house.... minimal details provided at best. Was once a house on millionaire row... okay. And? Now a restaurant which also does catering for weddings and corporate events. Considering the focus is on history and ambiance you would think the servers could provide a basic history. Fine, we'll read the history on their webpage. At least she was knowledgeable about the food, right? Nope. Questions about the thickness of the lobster bisque were met with 'well, it's a bisque so it's going to be thicker.' Yes... we know that. But she assured us it was not a super thick soup. Wrong. Very thick - it left a indent in the 'soup' when you took a spoonful out, that's how thick it was. I had the 'famous onion soup' which was almost inedible. A thick pastry crust on top which made one wonder how to even eat it - which was either completely underdone or so soggy on the underside from drawing up the liquid that it was very off-putting. Both soups went uneaten and the only response from the server was if we would like them to go! How about asking why we didn't eat them? No matter, because the entrees came out about 2 minutes after the soup. Timing could definitely be better. Oh well. We had asked what kind of noodles were in the Jumbo Shrimp and Spicy Noodle dish.... deer in the headlights. No idea. We had to prompt her: are they thinner? Thicker? Finally she decided on 'they are like ramen noodles, I suppose.' Okay.... that sounds fine. Are they served hot or cold? Again she sputters. The answer: 'well, they aren't hot but I wouldn't say cold either' - so room temperature? Yes, she agrees: room temp. That sounds fine. Nope, they came out cold like from the fridge, which was specifically what we said we didn't like which is why we asked. Spicy peanut sauce was not spicy and it was served on a bed of salad in a bowl which was very difficult to eat. And biggest sin of most restaurants these days: all shrimp in the dishes were served with the tails on. Why?! Can't use the knife and fork to remove in a bowl and they were super messy to remove with ones hands. Want to be an upscale restaurant? Think about how the diners are supposed to eat the food! My plate was the Jumbo Shrimp and Scallops - I was really curious of the lemon dill foam - which I should have known better. No foam - it had completely broken and created a watery mess on the plate - and had no flavour at all. The tomato scallion rice was so dry it couldn't even keep its shape in the middle of the plate. We asked to see the dessert list thinking maybe we could finish the meal on an 'up' note but we all decided that we didn't have the appetite for any more. I know this is a well liked restaurant and maybe it was an off night - but for a Friday dinner an off night should still be relatively decent. Not that night! Thankfully there are a plethora of other places to try - but it certainly won't be their...

Having only been back in NC for a short time, we spent a lot of time when we first arrived hunting amazing food. From Asheville to Raleigh we trekked around, trying everything from fried chicken to foie -- every place had something good but we still searched for one place that had a variety of exceptional choices where everything on the menu made us salivate. Never did we expect to find a place like Spring House Restaurant, Kitchen & Bar so close to home in Downtown Winston-Salem. Now it's the first and last place we think of when the cravings strike. Spring House is one of those places where it's almost frustrating to look at the menu because you want one of everything. There is something about my native southern cuisine here that makes eating at Spring House comforting and approachable -- you can go there in jeans and that's just fine -- but the classic technique is unmistakable, elevated in a way that for me conjures memories of Jean Georges and Daniel in New York and fine kitchens in Italy and Northern California. The first time I realized Spring House would be a stand out as next level, was the bread service. They make all of the bread there and to be able to have homemade spreadable goodies like tapenade, tomato jam or my favorite, the whipped goat cheese and leek spread is such a nice touch. The pimento cheese here is also a must -- pimento cheese has become almost cliche in gourmet southern restaurants these days -- but don't miss out on this version (it also shows up in the oyster which is a creamy, savory, briny delight and the stupid-delicious grits). I never met a beignet I didn't love so it's fun to order the sweet corn, shrimp and crab beignets with beet and horseradish. Any sort of charcuterie is an essential part of any meal here -- I am ruined for all other country pate and anything foie-related after trying them at Spring House. Among the entrees it's hard to pick a favorite but I really love the Colonel chicken because it comes with something called M80 hot sauce and those pimento cheese grits -- but the cast iron ribeye (OMG, with truffle mushroom spoonbread...) gives it a run for its money. Then again, my frequent dining partner never misses a chance to go for anything barbecue related -- the chef is a bit of a barbecue savant and it shows in the smoky flavors and spices. I'll never forget having a cocktail there one night and watching them roll in a whole roasted pig from the smoker they prepared for a private event there. We got to try some of the divine shredded pork on a biscuit with that spicy sauce. Then there is the atmosphere -- at first I incorrectly assumed Spring House to be a fine dining destination but it is really a neighborhood place disguised in this crazy-fabulous southern mansion. Everyone makes you feel welcome and pretentiousness is nowhere to be found which is a relief. I love that I can go there and spend $20 or less and get the same service and quality food as if I could afford to spend $200. It's also nice to be able to get a really upscale wine not available anywhere in the region or order a sweet tea in a mason jar. There is a good vibe here for Bourbon lovers -- which I am -- in the sumptuous Library Bar. You can eat in the bar, but it's better to have a bigger table somewhere to spread out so you can try several things. I've probably eaten 20 different dishes at Spring House and it never fails to make me think of it as the best restaurant in the Southeast. Watch out everywhere else -- this is the quintessential gourmand's answer to where to eat in...