Just had an amazing dinner at the Fiddlin Pig in downtown Smithfield. Enjoyed the new special, Bone-in Gammon Chop. With the house G&T. An awesome meal. Great food, service and atmosphere! read more

The Fiddlin Pig - Pubs Near Me - Smithfield, Virginia

Food was sub par- over cooked and oily. I got the fish and chips that the owner said was legendary, not so! The fish was so tough to pull apart. Taken out of the fryer and set on the fries making them oily. My wife got the curry special and it was okay. I would not return because it was not worth the cost- $75 for two people. read more

Vibe: 9/10 - they did a great job making this feel like a cozy English pub! Service: 8/10 Value: 7/10 Pretzel bites: 7/10 Fish and chips: 7.5/10 Bangers & mash: 8/10 Bread pudding: 9.5/10 Overall: 8/10 (4/5) [To clarify our review system: 10 = we'll never have anything else as good as this in our lives (we use 10 very sparingly!) 9 = extraordinary 8 = great 7 = above average 6 = average Anything below 6 is being critical] read more

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Delicious, charming ambiance and great staff... Our first meal but certainly not our last. #EatAtTheFiddlinPig

The Fiddlin' Pig is all about the vibe! Having traveled to England numerous times, I'd give up on the idea of finding an authentic British pub anywhere near Virginia Beach when suddenly this came across my radar. I gathered my tribe, including my friend who is actually British, and we headed over for brunch one morning. The delightful experience began outside on the sidewalk when we spotted the cheery red phone booth. We bounced in and were greeted by friendly staff. The bar dining area was fairly empty, and we found a table big enough to accommodate our party of 10. The business culture is decidedly British- you order at the bar, and you don't tip. Employees are paid a decent wage according to the European model. There was ample beer on tap. The food menu is modest but covers all the bases. I opted for the sausage roll (which I forgot to take a photo of) and a pickled egg, both being simple and delicious staple foods. Nothing would be labeled gourmet but that's kind of the point of a British pub, isn't it? My British friend gave his hearty stamp of approval to the whole experience and I am sure we will return! read more

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When you walk in, look at the menu, then go up to the cashier and order they will bring your food out then. I was unaware that that is how they operate. Seating is limited. They have both indoor and outdoor seating. It's definitely really eclectic in there. The staff were great. They were attentive. The food was good. My steak was seasoned well, and cooked to my liking. The cheese with my pretzels was perfect. My friends enjoyed their meal as well. Parking was easy. We were able to find street parking pretty close. We just had a short walk. read more

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The food was so tasty. The atmosphere is people drinking beer and conversing . You were served food very quickly. Hot foods were hot. I had the cheese pie and scotch egg. Loved the scotch egg. Bread pudding was good. Can't wait to go again. read more

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Came with a group of 8 on a Friday evening and easily found seating. Here, you order at the counter, get your beverages and then head to a table. A server will bring out your food when it is ready. No tipping here, as they model after the British and pay their staff regular wages. The restaurant has a great atmosphere with pub style decor and seating. Everyone enjoyed their meals ranging from the Fish & Chips (huge piece of fish!), lamb, bangers and mash, pub burger, shepherd's pie and more. read more

David and his staff are great! We had a really good time and will definitely return. I now know what cask ale is after our visit. The authenticity of the pub being English, or from the Great Britain continent is true. We've been to other English claiming restaurants but this one is the best. To ordering and sitting, NO tipping, the whole ambience. The pies and mushy peas are the best I've ever had in America. I had the steak and ale pie, my wife had the beef and Guiness stew, and our daughter had the Shepards pie. All were great. Also started with a Scottish Egg. That was great. My wife enjoyed the Fiddlin Bitter Ale and I had a Tellamore Dew Old Fashioned. I can't say enough great things about this place. read more

First time here and will be back! The food: Stew of the week was chicken and very good but didn't like all the mushrooms. Just a personal preference, but good flavor. Fish & Chips- Good chips, LOVED the mushy peas, really good flavor, fish was flaky but over fried a bit. One less minute in the fryer would have been good! Great tartar sauce. Guinness-excellent pour Lemonade-very tasty Ambiance: -Very nice inside, with a few TV's, and a British pub feel. Two different dining areas and even a little sitting area. Outdoor sitting area as well. Service: Order everything at the bar including food and drinks. Can be a little confusing or a wait time because they only have one computer to put in orders so you can have a large group in front of you taking their time to order. All the people we encountered taking our orders or bringing food were very kind and helpful. Will come back to try out more food and drinks! read more

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First time here was great, last time was meh. Fish and chips came out in under 5 minutes. The fish was not crispy at all as if it was reheated in the microwave. The server was nothing but unpleasant as well. The cashier however was very nice and attentive. :) read more

Update scoring: summarizing five visits over about two years. Ambience 5/5, service friendliness and efficiency 5/5, beer and wine 5/5, food 2.5/5. I've always loved their Scotch Eggs as they're usually (with one exception) served with the yolk still creamy and a savory, crunchy shell. I've had a couple of really good pies here in the past but today the crust on our two pies was terribly overcooked and the filling had all the moisture cooked out of it. The pie shell was so stiff, I initially thought that it was served in a ceramic ramekin, but that was the consistency of the crust. We've had a couple of decent steaks here and a few that were cooked past the desired degree of doneness. The fish in the fish and chips was good but the portion was smaller than I expected. The Mid Olive in Suffolk certainly beats theirs! The chips have often come very dark and overcooked, like maybe the cooking oil needed to be changed out. We're avoiding the chips now and still looking for a dish that they can do well on a consistent basis. And be careful with the pedestal tables in the "hunting themed room." I leaned on one after setting our drinks on it and the table tilted badly, nearly toppling our drinks to the floor! read more

Staff was super nice and got a real corner pub vibe. They have so many beer choices if you would like and fish and chips is great! I did not like the beef pie thing I ordered so I ate some of hubby's fish! read more

We were on vacation in Williamsburg, VA with some old friends. We all love to drive around and found unique stores and places of interest. One of our friends told us about the Jamestown ferry and the smoked hams made in Smithfield. We decided we would take the ferry, which was free! You don't see that every day. The ferry ride was about 20 minutes and it saved us about an about a hour of traveling around on the roads. It was a very relaxing voyage with birds chirping as we crossed the James river. What a beautiful little town with shops, pubs and Victorian houses. We parked and walked around and found the Visitors' Center. We took some maps and visited many of the shops. Of course my wife and her friends bought gifts for our families back home. We were getting hungry so we decided on the Fiddlin Pig on Main Street. This was a British pub with authentic British food and drink. Our waitress, Emory, was so nice and very with helpful with our drinks and menus. I had London Pride ale and the girls had margaritas and cokes. I had fish bites and chips and my wife had fish and chips. My wife loved the crispy fish and chips had a cheese dipping. I loved the fish bites with tartar sauce. Delicious! One of our friends had the steak and ale with the mushy peas and chips. She loved it! Another couple had a cheese burger and chips and lamb stew with the mushy peas. They were both very pleased with their meals. Another couple had the fish and chips and her husband had a sausage rolls with chips. He ate it all and said it was great! I noticed the pub had a chess board and a dart board in the back room. A very British pub atmosphere! We were stuffed and thanked our waitress for the great food and service. The pub was friendly and reminded me of my trips to London pubs overseas. We truly enjoyed our time at the Fiddlin Pig. Even though Smithfield is a little off the beaten path, it is well worth the trip. If you have the time to visit Smithfield do it via the ferry! This is a memorable experience! We all strongly recommend the Fiddlin Pig for drinks and for lunch or dinner. Excellent food, drinks and service. If you are near Williamsburg make the trip! All the best to you and your families. Safe travels, eat healthy and most of all be happy! read more

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Great food and nice people. You can really tell the owner is serious about his business in terms of quality and service. Would recommend this place to anyone looking for an authentic pub on this side of the pond! read more

Great crew works there. Food was great. We had the following and it was all tasty: fish and chips, burger, beef pie, bangers and mash, scotch egg and pretzel bites w/ cheese. They don't accept tips as the owner pays the staff a good wage. For that reason alone, this place is worth supporting. read more

The Fiddlin Pig - Pubs Near Me - Smithfield, Virginia

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We were excited to grab a "Full English" breakfast here a few months ago. It was ... okay. Nothing was particularly bad or good. I will say that the beans are the typical Heinz canned baked beans that are bafflingly popular in England. The plate contained everything one would expect: grilled mushrooms & tomatoes, sausage, eggs, etc. Again, there was nothing "bad" about the meal, but nothing stood out as being particularly good, either. I am giving this 4 stars for the ambiance; this place really does resemble a quaint English Pub. I hate giving bad reviews for locally owned establishments so we are planning on returning to try an evening meal in hopes that the nighttime "pub grub" is more memorable. read more

A taste of the UK in the heart of Smithfield. Good food, nice decor. Very pleasant atmosphere. We will definitely go again. read more

The food and drink were great. The atmosphere was also great. Me and my wife will be back.

This place is doing it right. The food is simple and prepared well. The vibes are right. Only negative is the outdoor seating is next to main road and stop light, and we moved inside because of noise & exhaust. Go have a pint and support them! read more

BEST BREAD PUDDING EVER! hubby and I came here on a Sunday and everything was so flavorful. I had the Sheppards pie and he had the fish bite. The drinks also were strong in my opinion. The star of the show for us was the bread pudding! read more

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Food, delicious. Service, lovely. Ambiance, quaint. Drinks, perfection. How does one adequately describe bangers and mash with a side of gravy and mashed peas, or fish and chips? The potato's were fluffy, the sausage (bangers) were savory the skin popped when pierced the inside juicy and full of flavor. The mashed peas were spot on! The fish was nicely battered and fried to a crisp golden brown cooked to perfection so the hearty fish was still light and flaky and the fries (chips) were the best I've had since my grandmas hand cut homemade fries when I was a girl. The ambiance and location were splendid. Truly a lovely pub hidden away in Smithfield! What a gem. If you've ever had a Pimm's Cup, you know it can easily be done wrong, NOT at The Fiddlin Pig! All the garnishments, the cucumbers, the strawberries, it was all there, the perfect drink of Wimbledon, light and refreshing, perfectly made for this hot summer evening in Virginia. Now that we have discovered this wonderful pub, right here in the heart of Smithfield. Excited to try the rest of the menu ASAP. Last but not least, the staff, absolutely precious, everyone was so nice and polite, I love that they are ALL paid a true wage and as strange as it sounds and feels, thus no tipping is required. I even said to the bartender how odd it was not to tip, he replied we make out way better this way, trust me, it's a good thing. No doubt about it, this will now be one of our go to places for delicious food and drink. We'll see you soon, the Foodie and the Chicken Nugget. read more

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My boyfriend and I were VERY impressed with this new restaurant! We love the location, the ambiance, and the food selection. I highly recommend the scotch egg and the fish and chips. Portion sizes were great and tasted like authentic European food!! The alcohol selection is also fairly large and we tried the gin and lemonade which was very good. We will definitely be back soon to try the imported draft beers! read more

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had the burger and chips, my girl had the chicken and chips. good taste to burger and chicken was plentiful. the chips (fries) were good tasting. employees are friendly. the food is not cheap, but they price in tipping to the food so you don't have to do that as well. there are tvs showing different sports but no sound on them, thankfully. there is also music playing in the background. the restaurant is located on north church Street and main street, so there is plenty of stuff to watch as you eat. read more

The Fiddlin Pig - Pubs Near Me - Smithfield, Virginia

Great food, very friendly staff. After lunch I sat outside with a great cup of coffee . Will definitely be back!

What a great place for lunch....found it online and just loved it. Great food and friendly staff...we will definitely be going back our next time though. Must order the Sticky Toffee Pudding, however everything was just delicious. read more

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Stopped in here for the first time yesterday. Everything was outstanding. Had the Shepards Pie, Chips and fish chips. All was excellent. Will definitely be back. Thank you! read more

Great British beers and great atmosphere. Outstanding bartender with excellent knowledge of the beers and fun conversation. Very enjoyable experience. read more

This is the best British pub this side of the pond! From the food all made in the British way. From Meat Pies to Fish and Chips, my favorate is the Fish Bits, just saying. With a mostly American made beer made in the British styles, with two Cask engines you can't go wrong! Don't forget to end with the Sticky Toffy or Bread pudding I find it hard to pick. read more

What a gem!!! Nestled away in Smithfield just outside the historic triangle in an area so heavily influenced by colonial culture is an authentic British pub. If you're looking at the menu prior to getting there you might think that their prices are on the higher end however what their menu doesn't tell you is that they follow the European service style. They pay their employees more and don't accept tips so what you see is what you pay. In the long run we ended up paying less for our dinner then we normally would and still received top notch service without that awkward "it's going to ask you a question" comment from the bar staff before even receiving any service. The place had live music in the bar area that was still audible from the other fireside dinning room but was by no means too loud. They had what looked like a really nice outdoor seating area as well. The feel of the whole area reminded us of classic British pubs we saw when we took our trip "across the pond" last year. If any of you have read any of my other reviews you'd recognize a theme. For those of you who haven't, the theme is my daughter eats a lot of fish and chips. It's her favorite. She has had them from coast to coast in the USA and even several places (including London) in Europe. So of course she ordered them here. It was a sizable piece of fried fish, a good size pile of fries and a small cup of mushy peas (that's what she calls them). She liked the fish and loved their fries. They were "her kind of fries". Thick cut and fried dark. Honestly, I'd describe the fish the same way. She didn't care for the mushy peas, but she never does, more to follow on those further in the review. She mentioned that the tartar sauce couldn't hold a candle to the sauce in London. She got spoiled by the tartar sauce at ye old Cheshire cheese in London. My wife got the shepherds pie. It would've been a huge portion by European standards (more to follow on portion size in a minute). It had a beautiful appearance with the potatoes piped onto a bowl of seasoned meat and vegetables that would've blown the socks off a pre-spice trade British shepherd. I got the savory beef pie. I happen to love pie in its many forms and flavors but I have a very special place in my heart for savory pies. My meal came out with a little more than a thimble of brown gravy, mashed potatoes, mushy peas, and of course the pie. I'll start with the mushy peas. They were the best I've ever had. The flavor was amazing. I had to use the gravy sparingly but it complemented the smooth and creamy mashed potatoes perfectly. The pie itself could've been better if I'm being honest but it was by no means bad. It was much more what I would consider a European size portion but still enough for dinner. It was not quite on the level of the rest of the meal. The crust was dense and not all that flaky. The flavors were good but not on the level of their shepherds pie. Also my whole meal was just a touch above warm where my wife and daughter's meals came out piping hot. I mentioned that we'd been to London and went to a pub or two over there. The decor and atheistic of this pub felt very authentic right down to the portraits of her majesty and the British memorabilia coating the walls and shelves. We drove about a half hour from Hampton to go there for dinner and I've very glad we did. read more

Very cool place with authentic decor. Friendly staff and interesting the fact that they don't accept tips due to being paid a standard wage. However, the biggest complaint is simply the super bright white lighting near the bar. Lighting is very important when you are running a food and beverage establishment. White light does not make anyone look their best. It gives off interrogation room vibes. I would suggest changing those bulbs out for soft yellow lighting, and then you are golden!. This is a very big deal. My wife and I have walked out of restaurants before due to bad lighting. Even if some people don't put their finger right on it, they will feel that something is off. We will be back soon! We just hope to sit under better lighting ;) read more

Enjoyed dining outside as we were traveling with our pup. Good food and friendly staff.

Great English pub! Football matches on the Telly. A variety of walkers crisps hanging behind the bar. A friendly landlord to pull you a smooth cask ale. Felt like we were back across the pond. The gals enjoyed their breakfast sarnis and chips. My mate liked his ample pub burger and chips and I couldn't resist the full English breakfast with all the fixins. The staff was very attentive and they kept the queue at the bar moving along. We will definitely be back soon. read more

The Fiddlin Pig - Such a rare treat in the USA to have David pull a smooth flavorful cask ale - Pubs Near Me - Smithfield, Virginia

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We went by late evening for some drinks. It has a cool almost coffee shop like vibe, guess that's what pubs are like! Board games, cozy nooks, various types of seating. We loved the extensive drink menu. I didn't try the food menu but it looked great! read more

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Come for the food, stay for the good vibes. Authentic British pub feel, great place to watch soccer or just relax and have a great meal or a pint. We loved our shepherd's pie and chicken tikka masala. The owners are fantastic. read more

The Fiddlin Pig - Shepherd's Pie - Pubs Near Me - Smithfield, Virginia

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Outstanding and Friendly. Great food options. Great beer options. Indoor and outdoor dining. Dog friendly.

The beer was great. The food was great. The owner was present and engaged with the customers. Nothing not to like unless you just don't like English food. We will definitely be here again. Great addition to Smithfield. read more

Tried for first time a few nights ago. Pretzels and beer cheese were wonderful, fish and chips, chicken bites , ranch dressing were amazing. Hubs had beef wellington and said it was good. Its friendly, clean, interesting environment. Service is really good and friendly. Family friendly. Would like to see more salad options on menu. Will return for sure. read more

Just had the fish and chips and it was delicious! Huge piece of fish. Great atmosphere, friendly staff.

We have now been to the Fiddlin Pig around 6 times. Having British family and frequently visiting England over the last 45 years I will say they do a great job creating a British pub atmosphere. Contrary to some post, in most small British pubs you do go to the bar to order food and drinks and they do not have wait staff that come to your table to take your order. I will say this last visit was a little bit disappointing. We had out of town family with us and it was busy. That was fine and we got a table fairly quickly. Unfortunately when the food arrived some of it was over cooked and way too salty. We had fish and chips, chicken pie, and tiki chicken masala. Not sure what was going on this visit but I'll chalk it up to it being a busy night. As usual the drinks and hospitality are great. read more