No kid this evening.... gee what to do... let's go for a walk in Shepherdstown and go to some shops and get a bite to eat. The shops said that the Press Room was the place to go. Great. Walking in finds two tables of people staring at my wife and I like we had some drool coming out of our mouth. Plenty of open tables, but no one to greet us at the door. My wife asks if we should just sit down, but instead we venture to the back. Oh, look more staring people (checks nose this time; nope I'm good). My wife peeks around the corner to where the bar is and is promptly met by a woman. The quick conversation went "do you have a reservation?" "No?!" "Well, you can sit at the bar". Sit at the bar? I don't think so. Scanning the room to see if all the empty tables filled up after the 15 second walk to the back. Nope. Sorry to say that the snooty behavior by the staff and customers more than put the distaste for this place in mind for the evening. My wife's under the breath comment of them not getting a good review provoked a bit of a nose up from the rude staff member who suggested the bar. The bar down the street at Tony's is where we ended up for some rather good pizza and bacon cheese fries. The Press Room may get another chance in the future, but the staff should be available to greet at the door if they are expecting a hoard of clients at anytime to fill the vacancies. read more

everything was excellent, server, ambiance, food, dessert, anniversary weekend for us, house salads, Pork Milanese, Penne Bolangese, sorbet, cheesecake. We worked restaurants for a long time , a long time ago, this is how it is done, they were full , they were in control, it ran very very well.. read more

Excellent all around. Booked a party of 12 for dinner and from start to finish our experience was exceptional. The service was perfect; warm and friendly throughout the two hour meal. The food was fresh and inventive and satisfied a group of diverse tastes. Attention to detail was a surprise for a small restaurant in a small town. read more

Very disappointing. Reservations for 6:30. Arrive and they can't seat us until 7...maybe. Went to Blue Moon Cafe instead. Won't be back to the Pressroom. read more

The Press Room was recommended by the B&B where we were staying, but as we couldn't find a menu on line, had no idea what to expect. What a pleasant surprise! Wonderful food, terrific service and delightful atmosphere. We would return in a heartbeat! read more

A pleasant spot that gives attention to the details. The portions are ample, and the tasty food is well presented. The service is attentive. As a vegetarian, I was disappointed that the butternut squash ravioli, one of only two menu options, is no longer available. I got by with just an appetizer and a salad, but the rest of my table was well pleased with their entrees. As someone else noted, the "one piece of bread" policy, delivered without butter or olive oil, is a bit odd. If you are an omnivore with money to spend on fine dining, The Press Room should make you happy. read more

Such a great place. Food was good, drinks are even better. Be sure to meet Brian the bartender, he's the best.

First - for those with diminished vision or any sort of physical handicap, this place is not for you. Shepherdstown is an 1700's historic town, i.e. brick sidewalks, narrow stone steps, no ADA ramps, on a very busy main street parallel parking, narrow doors, very difficult to traverse in the dark. For safety, go elsewhere. The food? OK, but, not over-the-top. Reservation only is suggested, completely full...perhaps the place is busier than the kitchen can handle on a Friday night. The locals came into the bar to have dinner there and were greeted by first name by the great bartender -- efficient, friendly, and blatantly handsome! Like the review by Tania H., I too asked if I had entered the wrong door; the historic building design prevents the hostess from being near the doors. All the staff were super-nice and, before 7p when it became intensely busy, they were conversational. Try it at a slower time? read more

We started in the cozy bar while waiting for our dinner reservation and ended up staying there for dinner. Perfect combination of service, atmosphere, and FANTASTIC food! read more

Best meal since the Hay-Adams! It was our anniversary and I was bowled over at how well we ate. That day they had flown in nine varieties of oysters on the half shell from various points around New England and Nova Scotia (I enjoyed 5). The soft shell crab was the best I've had in nearly 30 years, when I was the mate on an historic Chesapeake Bay fishing charter and learned to lightly bread and sauté them according to the captain's instructions. We've been back twice in the 45 days since and it's always been excellent. Dressy or casual (but clean and neat) works best. read more

First time here. We were look for some good Italian food in this small town and actually found some. Ordered the baked brie and calimari appitizers, both were very good. Im picky about calimari, it was breadrd very nice and not overcooked. The service was fast and friendly. The prices were fair, nothing extreme. The inside of the establishment appeared very clean and nicely decorated. Quite atmosphere around 3pm on a Saturday was nice. Their complimentary bread is amazing. Our main dish was the pasta and sausage, it was huge. After the appitizers, we split the pasta three ways, that was perfect. I've heard from a few people that I talked to, that The Press Room is the best restaurant in this town. We had a great visit this time and we'll be back. Highly recommended. Hope this helps. read more

This place is a quaint little place in shep town. Great food! Definitely worth checking out. Save some time and walk through the town as well. Allot of shops to shop at. read more

When it comes to fine dining and great atmosphere The Press Room is always at the top of my list. Locally owned and operated this restaurant has so much pride in what they do. Whether it is their excellent bar service, oysters, or the creme brûlée they produce a top product. You will search hard for a restaurant in the DC area that comes close. read more

Very disappointing. Wife and I ordered the same entree, scallops, took one bite and sent them back. Then tried a corned beef panini got fatty meat with lots of gristle, again sent back. Wife got eggs florentine that was okay. I've had very good food here before, but maybe the chef was having an off day. read more

Six of us to celebrate Lea's 29th birthday - five of us ordered a different appetizer (gazpacho soup, clam chowder, house salad, beet salad, white pizza) and each a different entree - everyone really enjoyed it! Lots of vegans in the group, but even the carnivore enjoyed the linguini with amazing shrimp and proscuitto! My husband indulged and loved the penne with salmon, but is already talking about ordering the linguini and clams next time he goes and he is fussy (he's also a chef). We had a reservation which is recommended..... read more

Can't wait to come back here for another dinner! A local recommended this place and we were not disappointed. I had the mushroom paparadelle and my husband had the hangar steak...large portions and delicious flavors! Also a reasonable wine list that complements the food. Nice ambiance. We'll be back! read more

A fabulous restaurant! I loved the relaxed and cozy atmosphere of this thoroughly gourmet dining experience. Nestled on Main Street in Shepherdstown, WV, it's the perfect spot for dinner with your favorite person or group of friends. I have enjoyed dinner for two and a night on the town with my gal pals, each occasion was memorable and delicious. It's a must stop for me whenever I am in the area. Best White Russian I have ever had, best Tiramisu, best Pear and Cheese Salad...just to name a few... read more

After a day of antiquing among friends, we usually enjoy a nice dinner at the Press Room. The restaurant is beautiful, the desserts are decadent, and they serve more than enough to fill you up. One of my favourite appetizers are mussels, I make sure to try them at every restaurant I go to. Though I've had better (at a little place in Puerto Vallarta and at an Italian bistro in Virginia) I very much enjoy how the staff of the Press Room presents theirs. Let me tell you what really gets me every time--their impeccable service. Not once have we had a bad experience with any of the waitstaff. They're attentive and friendly, they honestly seem to be happy to be there and want you to have a good time. I could gush about the service of the Press Room for a long time! Only downside to this restaurant is that their location in the center of Shepherdstown makes it quite difficult to find parking, especially if you're looking to go on a weekend night. However, once you've had dinner, you'll realize that is a small sacrifice to make. read more

One of the best dining experiences we've ever had. The service for all eight of our group was exceeded only by the quality of the food. We intend to return as often as possible. read more

Worst place I've ever been. We had reservations for 8:30pm got seated right away, placed our order. Our food did not arrive to our table til 9:50pm when we asked for the manager she was the rudest person ever and did not care that we had waited over an hour, her response was the orders come out by when they are placed when I brought it to her attention that a couple across from us came in at least 20 minutes after us and they already had there food and our table still had nothing her response was nothing! My Pot Roast had so much fat on it that it wasn't even worth me trying to find a piece that I could eat, my husband ordered the Salmon I'm pretty sure the poor fish was still alive on his plate that's how raw it was. Worst place ever save your money!! The manager is AWFUL read more

We walked in to have brunch were asked if we had reservations which we did not the server says to another server we have WALK-INS we were seated. I ordered a Bloody Mary very good and coffee our waiter forgot to bring my creamer had to ask twice. I had the French toast it was incredible!! My husband had the Caesar salad & gazpacho he said it was amazing. Wonderful food service lacking. read more

My favorite restaurant in the area! I love the casual but rustic ambience that I get here. I actually enjoy the laid back, slower paced service...it makes it a dining experience for me. The Atlantic Cod dish is beyond exceptional and the wine selections are very good. Actually, I have never been unsatisfied with any dish that I have ordered. The Press Room marries good food with a good atmosphere and truly compliments the beautiful and quaint town of Shepherdstown. read more

Had the duck for dinner. Portion was well worth the price and the flavors were out of this world. Service was a little pompous, but all in all well worth the expensive price tag. Will def return read more

Five stars. This is the best restaurant in Shepherdstown. The service is always great. The wine selection is also wonderful. There is a small bar area with about eight seats and the bartenders are talented. The food is the best in Shepherdstown. Every weekend, the Press Room has a whole list of specials. When the sea bass is a special, get the special. Also, their game hen special is superb. Definitely the place to eat in Shepherdstown - always a terrific time. read more

We wanted to find a great place to take my in-laws (one of whom is a pastry chef) for my mother-in-law's birthday. After reading reviews we decided to try this place. The decor is very cozy and down to earth. We were seated at a comfortable big booth, although the non-booths had very comfy looking black chairs. I might ask for one of those tables next time. The wine list was very detailed. They had a gruner veltliner and a chenin blanc on their list. The reds were more standard, but not your typical wineries which was nice. We ordered the calamari which was done to perfection in a garlic butter sauce. The calamari was not fried, so they can be rubbery if done right, but the chef hit it on the nose. The red peppers were a nice pairing for the dish as well. I had the pork milanese which I was very impressed with. The greens were more unique than at most restaurants. The sides, sauces, and garnishes were beautifully presented and tasted fantastic. My husband has the scallops which he said were also cooked to perfection. My in laws had the steak which was done exactly how my father in law wanted and was served with a very interesting yet tasty sauce. My mother in law was happy with her balsamic glazed salmon. Again everything was presented beautifully and delicious. We then just had to try their lavendar creme brulee. This met my mother in law's high expectations of desserts. The lavendar permeated the dessert very subltely and the creme brulee was incredibly light and creamy. It was probably one of the best creme brulees I had ever had in my life. My husband and I felt we had a quality meal for an excellent price. Our whole meal was very reasonable considering we had 4 glasses of wine, an appetizer, 4 entrees, and 2 desserts. The chef at the Press Room obviously takes pride in his work and is doing an incredible job. This place is such a gem in a small West Virginian town. We will definitely come back when we come down to visit. read more

sunday brunch was a delight. I had the poached eggs with speck. Loved the bed of aspergas spears under the eggs. and that the eggs reached the table cooked perfectly. even the dusting of shredded manchego cheese over the yolk was quite nice. the fresh watercress to the side as a garnish lent a nice bit of bitter of greens for the tastebuds. I like that. some baby arugula would be nice too. perhaps even a slice of a nice ripe yellow low acid tomato and a half drizzle of balsamic. I like a few well chosen vegetables at brunch. I found I am not a fan of the grilled bruschetta though. and the watermelon slice didn't really add anything. Citrus might make this meal "pop" - a quarter of a white grapefruit would be perfect! or a few sections of a tangerine would be fun too if that's easier to find in the market these days. Anyway, it was just a delightful meal. Add a cup of coffee, a red cab or a rose to go with the speck, even a hot mug of whole leaf chamomile tea - they all pair quite nicely with this meal! The flowers on the table were lovely. And the owner greets and seats each customer which is one of the many things that makes Shepherdstown so special! read more

My wife and I have eaten at the Press Room once before and it was a very disappointing experience. It took over an hour to get our dinner. However we decided to give it another try last night to celebrate an anniversary. I consider myself pretty easy-going and could look beyond the wine served in juice glasses, the fresh bread served cold, and the mediocre food; but the following really upset me. I ordered a steak, cooked med-well. It came out bleeding inside, leaving a puddle of blood on the plate. I realize that many people think that is the best way to eat a steak, however I'm NOT one of them. I sent the steak back twice. When it came back to me for the third time it was charcoaled on the outside and the inside was STILL bleeding. I opted not to return the steak again and, since my family had already finished eating, asked for the check. However, when I received the check I saw that I had been charged for the $27 NY Strip steak. I asked the waiter about the charge and he informed me that it had been decided that the charge would stay on the bill. I followed him back to the kitchen and asked who made the decision to charge me for a steak I didn't eat. He gestured to the chef (and owner) Mike Luksa, who was standing with his arms crosssed and looking over at me. With an arrogant aire he asked if this was about the steak. I said yes and he tersely responded "we have nothing to talk about". I proceeded to explain that I did not want to pay $27 for a steak which was ill-prepared and I didn't eat. Maintaining his pompous attitude he told me that the steak had been prepared correctly. I told him that a steak cooked to medium well does not bleed. He said that I ordered it medium rare. I also explained that even if they thought I ordered it med rare after the second time I sent the steak back saying it was too red inside, that might have clued them in that maybe there was some miscommunication. In the end, they took the steak off the bill. I only hope it didn't come out of the waiter's pocket. And I can overlook the miscommunication, but the arrogance and pomposity displayed by the owner will cause me never to return to the Press Room or any business associated with Michael & Deborah Luksa. This is NOT the customer service I have come to expect in Shepherdstown. What has happened to customer service? Especially in this economy where fewer people are willing to spend $100+ on a single meal, you would think they would attempt to keep their clientele. If you are considering a nice meal in Shepherdstown I would recommend spending your money in one of the other wonderful restaurants who will appreciate your business; not treat you like you they are doing you a favor by allowing you to eat there. read more

horrible experience. never again. out of food...extremely slow service. unprofessional management. over priced for mediocre quality. disappointed!!!! read more