Went to Hounds Tale for the second time last night. I never realized until last night that they have the dog friendly restaurant 4 doors down from the larger restaurant area. The food was delicious as usual and came out at a reasonable time. I had the chicken schnitzel. It was delicious. I didn't ask for the jagar sauce but they put it on anyways and charged me an extra $2 for it. My husband had the fish and chips... he cleared the plate. A few friends had the burger and said it was delicious as well. Juicy burgers are the best! Service was ok. We had a few large groups from a conference there as well. There were multiple servers but we were the only customers there and they struggled to keep up with the crowd of 16-20 people. It was a Thursday night, but this restaurant sits in the heart of William and Mary. Also it was difficult to get a drink refill because the waitress was hiding in the back most of the time. I would've given this a 5 star, except for the service at that time. Food was excellent! read more

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We've been here twice and we sat at the bar both times. The bar manager Patty makes amazing drinks and everything is fresh. She has come up with some really good combinations, my favorite being the pear martini drink, but I can't remember the actual name. Patty was there both times we went and she always asks about special requests, like sweetness or spice level. It's so nice to have high quality drink options made with fresh ingredients and well thought out flavour combinations. We order different drinks and share them so we have tried several already- we've liked them all and I'm pretty picky. The flatbread crust is also on point, and it's a pretty decent size for the price. This is my favourite bar spot so far in Williamsburg. read more

Meh. Pretty good. But also not good. Service was very slow, ordered waters for the table and didn't get any. Bar drinks took a long time (even sprite). And many times during our visit we saw 4 servers standing and talking to each other at the end of the bar for quite a while. My friend's husband got up from the table and went to the bar to get a glass of water since the waitress came to the table every 15 mins and they were chatting at the bar. The Brussels sprouts were so salty I couldn't eat them, my friend got the pork and it was tasty / tender and her Brussels sprouts were not as salty as mine. The fish and chips had no flavor. The crab stuffed potato skins lacked flavor altogether. I wouldn't return to this place. Seems classy but doesn't deliver the class they are trying to allude. read more

They were closing and still sat me. Lovely staff, great atmosphere. Fantastic food! Everything closes so early, it was so a relief to be welcomed in. read more

They love dogs and have food... ok I'm done! J/k. For real though, we came out here just trying out the "what's different" around Williamsburg and found this through Yelp. We figured... sure... why not? Very glad we did. We came when it wasn't crazy busy. The servers and greetings were plenty and very inviting. The menu was quite fun. Almost too fun. So fun that I ordered too much and ended up needing roll out of the place. Haha.. I kid but really, the food is super great. As a dog person, seeing all the dog 'stuff' was just icing on top. Although one fun fact - just about everything they have is for sale. Even the rock they use to hold the receipt down. I know because I bought one. If you're looking for a good, solid meal, and good service, this is a win for sure. Food Taste: 5 Overall Service: 5 Value of food to cost: 4 Facility: 5 Repeat customer: yes Dog Friendly: patio read more

Great food (chicken schnitzel and pear cocktail), variety (of food), service, and cute ambiance.

Great food and ambiance especially when we have our dog with us for lunch in a cold day. Food was exceptional!

My husband and I are traveling through. And we chose this restaurant for the reviews, especially the fried brussel sprouts. They were perfectly prepared crispy, but maintaining the flavor and the amuse bouchée of the tomato jam on the bottom of the dish was a tasty touch. I also had the delicious shrimp and grits. I highly recommend this dish! The decor is quirky fun with dog decor. You must check it out! read more

The Hound's Tale - Doggy decor - New American Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

Service was great, and the food was delicious. However, the French fries were really salty, but it was taken care of, and there were no issues from there. It's a nice, small restaurant/bar. Staff was very friendly, and attentive. I definitely recommend! read more

The service was wonderful and the food was fantastic. If we are ever in the area again we would definitely go back.

This was my second visit to the Hound's Tale. The drinks haven't disappointed. The desserts haven't failed. But the entree's...yikes. I ordered a seafood flatbread and it came out soggy and cold. The waitress offered to heat it up again, but I declined cause I felt like that would have made the scallops and the breading tough. I ended up not really having much of an entree. The sangria was perfect for a hot summer day and the dessert...this ice cream sandwich hit my sweet tooth spot! read more

The Hound's Tale - Ice cream sandwich - New American Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

We had dinner on a Saturday night- great service, food was great (we had rib eye, flank steak and ribs). Also cocktails were excellent!

Best fish-n-chips this side of the big pond! Fabulous dog-themed atmosphere! Excellent service! read more

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We went on a Saturday evening around 7:30. It was rainy and chilly outside and packed and loud inside. It took a while to get service. They were short-staffed with the waitress running around with limited support. The food was on the lukewarm side (it probably sat a while). It was expensive for a mediocre meal but I'm sure COVID is mostly to blame. Might give them another try down the road once things return to some normalcy. read more

We loved this place! My husband and I have lived in Williamsburg our whole lives and never gone before. We stopped in on Valentine's weekend after a neighboring restaurant was rude. We had a great time sitting at the bar and service was good. A new spot for our date nights! read more

The Hound's Tale Dog is $12. Would you pay $12 for a hot dog? I did and I would do it again! The homemade sweet pepper relish and mustard were drool-worthy! After a day of sightseeing left me short on time but hungry for chow, so I hit the bar area for a beer and light dinner. This was the perfect spot. I sat and enjoyed the treat which comes with fries. I lapped up a stout to wash it down. That hit the spot! Great staff too! Friendly, fun and they work like dogs but do so with a smile! read more

First Brittany was fantastic. The menu is insane, but the execution is better. Brats and red curry. Short rib and Kim chi, Swedish meatballs and loganberry So many fusions. Go.go.go. Loved it. read more

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So sad to revisit my favorite restaurant to find it so disappointing on so many levels :( If you have read my previous reviews, you know how much I loved The Hound's Tale. So this year, after 2 pandemic years, I planned a trip to Williamsburg to see Christmas Village in Busch Garden and dinner at The Hound's Tale. Sadly the food and service was disappointing. To start with food, they no longer offered the dishes I used to love and the imitate ones just didn't taste as good. Rumors had it that the old chef quit so that may explain why. The portion was extremely small for the price - $32 for 1 duck breast with succotash and $28 for short ribs and couple spoonfuls of rice. The portion was sooo small than my husband and I had to grab some dinner after our dinner at The Hound's Tale. For comparison, we recently had an amazing duck dish at a Michelin star restaurant in DC and for $42, we got a delicious duck breast and duck confit. Now to service, let me preface by saying that I have so much respect for the staff who worked during Christmas holiday and that is also why I felt soo bad for them. I made a reservation in advance and came in with a young child. We waited over 30 minutes to be seated because they didn't reserve a table for us and it looks like they didn't have a reservation system. The staff was so overwhelmed because one waitress called in sick. Overall, we didn't have good service and the responsibility falls on the owner who decided to keep the restaurant open even when it's understaffed. Though very sad, we probably won't go out of our way to The Hound's Tale until it's back to where it used to be. read more

This was an amazing experience. I brought my two kids and they were treated so well by the staff. Our food was amazing the staff was incredible. I'd return in a heart beat. read more

Ok so again 5 Star rating are should not be handed out at a whim. 5 stars are earned. You have got to be the complete package. Atmosphere, service and food. Let's start with atmosphere: the restaurant is called 'the Hound's Tale' we are in Williamsburg, Va. So immediately I thinking traditional American fare with a tavern vibe. Which it is with a little tongue and cheek playfulness. Which I like that they leaned into it. There's a bar top table slightly off-center of the room (perfectly placed). The table top is a shellacked tree trunk that sits eight easily. The walls are filled with pictures, framed quotes etc ... Most referencing dogs like: the 5 second floor rule doesn't matter with a 2 second dog. Diahann (sp?) our server was phenomenal. This was not her first rodeo. She starts by taking the drink order for our table of 7, no pen, delivers each drink to the proper person without needing to double check, proceeds take the meal order and delivers that flawlessly. Now this is a very small thing but with each new drink always with a new napkin. Cleared the table appropriately, we weren't rushed nor did we run out of space on the table. She had a very good since of humor, very personable and great recommendations. Now the Food: portions were that perfect size were you were very full but not miserable, no room for dessert but that's because you couldn't stop eating what was on your plate. Presentation was on point. The menu has a nice variety. No ridiculous Cheesecake Factory book. The effort that is put into each dish is evident in every bite. I ordered fish N chips which by the atmosphere told me was going to be a good choice. It was confirmed when the table next to us had an order arrive the smell alone was enough to let me know. But then it was delivered. My order of fish N chips. It was flaky not greasy full of flavor but not over seasoned. Just enough to bring out the flavor of the fish. Everyone at our table was completely impressed with what they ordered. And I haven't even mention the live music and this all on a Wednesday night. read more

The Hound's Tale - Sirloin steak and shrimp - New American Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

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Food was meh, service was great. Server was new but executed excellently. Bartender remade a drink without asking to be generous after over hearing my daughter complain about the egg whites floating in her drink. Would give it a try again simply for the service alone. read more

Food was satisfying and our server was great. Note many of the pics on here are no longer available so be sure to check their menu online. The eggs didn't have as much garlic flavor as I hoped. Pretzel texture missed the mark and the beer cheese was way too thick. As in we had to use a butter knife to spread it on. And what was strange was the butter flavor. Brussel sprouts were good but I wasn't a fan of the tomato sauce that was paired with it. Korean chicken missed the crunch factor (if you've had traditional, you know what I mean) but flavorwise it was good. The burger had a great flavor and I was happy with my order. The only thing I wished for was for it to be a bit more juicy. Bar atmosphere, location and vibe was great and it would be a fun hangout spot for the college kids since its right by William & Mary. Parking may be hard to come by though. read more

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Great spot for family, friends, or a date. Inspiration entrees and cocktails! Love the theme, popcorn in a doggie bowl made me smile all night. Fantastic service at the bar, bartenders were enthusiastic about their cocktails and the local food options. If I lived closer I would go atleast weekly. Summer concerts are a short walk and parking lots are also close. read more

Under seasoned food (extremely bland pasta), lackluster service during a extremely slow period (took our server 10 mins just to pay the check), great old fashioned.... if you enjoy crushed ice, smashed cherries, and half an orange in your drink. How this place has 4.5 stars is beyond me. Guess we got the B-team this week? 2 stars for food and drinks that didn't kill us. read more

We ended up here one night when almost every other restaurant had a 1.5 hour wait. This place looked super small and we weren't exactly sure what they served, but it blew our minds. So the theme of this restaurant is dogs, and it is so cute! From the outside it looks like a dog shop, but once you walk in there are some tables inside and then a dining patio in the back (with space heaters). This place has a vast drinks menu as well as a unique gastropub dinner menu. A lot of the dishes didn't seem to go together (poke bowl, bbq sandwich, beef stroganoff are all served at the same time) but this allowed our table to try a wide array of food. I thought the waygu burger was exceptional, the fondu cheese topping was so delicious and had me tempted to buy another one. Our table also really enjoyed the roasted brussel sprouts as an appetizer. If you're ever walking through Williamsburg, I highly recommend stopping here for lunch or dinner because of the great food and even greater service. read more

Second time here and would totally return again! Eclectic menu. Love the popcorn! Friendly service and warm atmosphere! A must if in Williamsburg. read more

Fun place with very good food. It was our first visit but I would highly recommend it and intend to return next time I am in town.

Delicious food and drinks, fun atmosphere, friendly service. Great menu too. Seems like a popular local spot!

Sat at the bar with my wife, and we had a great interaction with the bartender throughout our visit. Whiskey list is decent, though the bartender wasn't overly versed in it. Ambiance of the place is pretty rad, as we are dog people (overly so to be honest). The biggest complaint is that we ordered 2 items off the menu, and neither of them came "hot" from the kitchen. We ordered the crab dip which was okay, albeit heavy on the mayonnaise taste, and the pork lollipops which were fantastic. The problem is that neither dish was hot. At best, both were lukewarm. We'll give it a chance again I'm sure, though we're in no rush to do so. read more

The dog motif is nothing but fitting as the "meals" you are served are nothing more than overpriced dog food. The popcorn starter is served in a bowl fit for a small dog, which is given to serve two people. It just felt cheap and gimmicky-- made to wow dog lovers and save money. My husband ordered a flank steak which came overcooked and doused in a near flavorless, pathetic excuse for a sauce to cover up how dry and chewy it was. The only redeeming quality was it did not make him deathly ill, although illness may have been preferable to our immense disappointment. I ordered the fish and chips which came heavily fried so much that I could hardly taste the fish and the fries were so dry and over-fried, it tasted like all of them came from the bottom of the bin... but that was how all the fries were. The overpriced drink I ordered was flavorless and tasted just like ice and water, a far cry from the fruity flavors it advertised. The mint garnish was the only flavorful part of it. The server we had was rude and made fun of the way I ordered two times, both for my drink and meal. Behind us I also overheard a server rushing a party to order multiple times while they were waiting for someone else. Although I called the dog motif fitting, the decor may be better if it were frogs as there were so many fruit flies and gnats that they would be able to facilitate their own empire. Horrible. read more

Went here for the first time because the last few times it was packed. The food was ok ( it didn't taste bad) . Cocktails were unique and tasty. Service was horrible. My food and appetizer came out at the same time, before I received my drink. read more

I was so excited to try this place from the other reviewers pictures and descriptions! So thankful for our yelp community! The flank steak with chimichurri... you have to get rare to medium rare... the acidity in the chimichurri is absolutely perfect to complement and cut through the richness of the mushroom/potato/Brussel sprout hash... The Wagyu burger with three cheese fondu and bacon is the best burger I've ever had... make sure you get the patty medium to medium rare... It is absolutely spectacular! If you come in between 4-6 for happy hour, you'll get to enjoy the beer, drinks, etc. but the best part is the 2 half tasting plates... the short rib-chili mini hot dog was phenomenal... don't you dare put ketchup or mustard and ruin this dish... If you are gonna try to have dinner after 6:30... I would definitely make reservations! I personally think coming in right at 5:30 is perfect! The best part was having the executive chef bring out our dish and having a personal conversation with us... absolutely great personable touch! My only sadness is that we live so far from this place... read more

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A charming hole in the wall with unfortunately mediocre food--overcooked duck, bland steak, anemic veggies on the side. Other reviews make me think perhaps we were there on an off night, so do with that what you will. For the price per head it should have been better than rubber pub food. read more

Eclectic and adventurous, I often suggest this one in place of other casual dining spots. Everything is dog themed, but it's not oppressive or campy. Everything I've gotten there has arrived hot, and the plate has left the table empty. The service is speedy, so it would work really nicely for a quick evening bite on a time crunch! read more

Service good. Food bad. Very bad. Possibly worst I've had in my life including my public school cafeteria and that was bad. Allow me to explain My steak was cold and over cooked with a weird flavor. My daughter ordered Ratatouille which tasted like it was marinated in Exxon premium gas and smelled like my grandfathers ashtray. While there were many dog statues and photos in this place I doubt even they would eat what we were served. Woof woof. Bad doggie. read more

My son and I like this place. First of all, The decorations are really cute, and this place has a really good vibe. Everything that we tried was high quality, and very tasty. The beer selection was great and the service was good. The only thing I wish they would have more is light appetizers, Or some other light meals that would be a bit more appropriate for hot Williamsburg weather. We will happily come back to this place again. read more

Good food, great drinks and service, good beer selection. Overall a nice place to have a relaxed meal in a pub atmosphere.

Ice tea VA beer-saving daylight citrus wheat Great beer/wine selection including wine slushees. Jumbo fancy pretzel w/ground mustard and cheese sauce Deviled egg of the day (dry mustard). Those were just ok. Spinach salad w/baby spinach, avocado, red onion, feta and dried cranberries and grapefruit Tofu poke bowl w/coconut rice, red cabbage, edamame, shredded carrots, w/pickled radish, tofu (or tuna) and a sesame/soy Unique little restaurant with dog gifts throughout. Cool gastropub menu. Smallish portions(but perfect for a small lunch), except for giant pretzel. $43. read more

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Such a cool find in Williamsburg! If you are a dog lover you will love this restaurant. BF and I were in Williamsburg for a night and wanted to try a local place, so we ended up at The Hound's Tale. We arrived for an early ish dinner and were able to be seated right away. They were offering a restaurant week menu that was a really good deal-- beer or wine, app, entree, and dessert for $30. BF and I thought the regular menu looked better though, so opted to order off that. We started with the shrimp and avocado tempura. It was very good! It reminded me of bang-bang shrimp from bonefish (which is always a great thing to be reminded of). They also give you complimentary popcorn in a dog bowl which is a cute touch. For entrees I got the skirt steak and BF got the wagyu burger. Prices are very fair for the quality of food. Both of us were very happy with our meals and had a great dinner at The Hound's Tale! read more

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Wonderful dinner and friendly service. We had a scallop Mac and cheese appetizer and a burger which were both excellent! Portions were very generous and everything was fresh and well seasoned. Really good cocktail menu, too. The restaurant was so busy but everything came out quickly. Our server was knowledgeable and kept a good eye on us. We have been many times and are never disappointed read more