This place has been a favorite family destination for our family for years. Lately we have noticed a difference there that has made us not as excited to return. Our last few dinners at the Rail Stop had a decent sized piece of "ok" steak but only one small side - a small portion of chopped up potatoes that looked like home fries?! No other sides! Had we not ordered appetizers and salads, we would have still been hungry. At least the ambiance, service, wine list and desserts are still good! read more

If you're heading west on 66 to the Shenandoah National Park or to pick-ur-own fall apples, be sure to pull over at The Plains for brunch at the Rail Stop. Any place that makes its own breakfast sausage in-house holds a special place in my heart. The french toast is light and fluffy, and the open-face omelet with basil and roasted tomatoes was excellent. read more

This has been a family fav for years. We started going here when local acting legend Robert Duvall still owned the place....we LOVED it! Incredible ingredients, cozy ambiance, great service - a special place outside the DC rat-race. Fast forward to this past weekend for Father's Day. We admittedly hadn't been there in about two years but what we found was quite different that what we had come to expect over the years. Service was poor, not to mention understaffed; the food was very average, we were having breakfast and I've had better pancakes at IHOP...and yes, overpriced. It was not a bad experience but it was very average compared to any other ho-hum restaurant and a real disappointment relative to what we had come to expect. read more

Had Easter Brunch at this restaurant patronized by the Fauquier horsey set. Cozy dining room about 40 minutes west of Washington. Easter menu was special - complete with inflated prices. Big disappointment. Our reservations were honored, but something did not click with the service. We ordered crab cakes and prime rib - medium; no appetizer or drinks. The prime rib was still mooing when it arrived. The waitress was less than gracious about returning it to the kitchen. Can't speak to what took place in the kitchen, but I've never experienced an upset stomach over beef before this. Not likely to return. read more

You go to the Rail Stop for the quality and the cozy atmosphere. It is not a place where you go and bitch about the food being 5 minutes late or being $3 more thatn you expected. If you want consistency and cheap food go to Applebees. If you want a quality product and you want to enjoy your dining experience go to the Rail Stop. Also, something to be said that they have been open for as long as they have. 15+ years. read more

Lovely little place in a cute little quiet town. Menu is an eclectic one page with lots of different options. We had some delicious carrot ginger soup and the marinated lamb wrap special. Both were exquisite and well prepared. Our waitress was kind and helpful. Highly recommend. read more

Food was ok but portions are small. Waiter was extremely nice but it took us an hour to get a salad and three pieces of shrimp on a bun.

First time trying this restaurant on a Friday evening. The menu looked very enticing. We ordered appetizers, the main course, and desert. We were a party of four with a bill well over $200. The food was good but not outstanding. The mashed potatoes were cold on all of our meals and the steak was over cooked. The creme brûlée and lemon shaker pie were very cold. My guest commented that he thought it was pulled straight from the refrigerator. Overall for the amount we spent the quality was not on par. The service was excellent though. read more

To sum up a slightly ridiculous experience fueled by impulsivity and an evil Jiminy Cricket: I saw a "Fresh donuts made daily" sign, promptly made a u-turn, and waited very patiently for 20 minutes for a box of fresh, warm cinnamon sugar donuts to be handed to me across the counter. I ate two in the car and smiled for the 45 minute drive home. Yes, I will pull over for donuts and, no, this isn't the first time I have done so. Note: I have yet to try the normal food but I stared at everyone else during the wait - it looked and smelled delightful. I would love to go back and try it again for dinner. read more

Such a gem in The Plains. Sweet quiet spot with a menu that never disappoints. Staff are so friendly, attentive, and accommodating. Enjoyed ample starter of gazpacho-fresh and full of flavor. The crab cakes were generous. And loved the creme brulee. Worth the drive out if you're not close to western NOVA. read more

Have had two dinners and brunch at The Rail Stop. Enjoyed the food and the ambiance. Friendly staff. Cannot wait to return!

This restaurant sits in the middle of a beautiful little town and maybe that's part of the problem. Good flavor but not enough food to fill a cavity. Ordered the special of trout for $16.00, got half of a small trout, 3 leaves of spinach and 10 tiny pieces of home fried potatoes, that's it...not even a couple of bread rolls before the meal. My wife got sea scallops with spinach and mushrooms. Yah...4 scallops on top of a small pile of spinach, BUT the scallops were about 1/4 inch thick....so basically they took ONE good sized sea scallop and cut it into 4 pieces. This leads me back to my first sentence....most of their business is people passing by, so screw the tourist because they never come back any ways. But anyone that lives in the area, like myself, would never put up with this and they'll never see us again. read more

Just went here with 3 other friends to celebrate our birthdays on the way to a winery. Quaint restaurant, with beautiful art work on walls for sale. Food was excellent - not a huge menu, but salads, burger, quesadillas, and soba noodle salad. Brought a complementary lemon blueberry cake slice...all of it was delicious! The sweet potato chips were too good. I'm going again. read more

Love this place, great food wonderful location and great service. Em what more can u ask for?

I mostly go for lunch, they make great burgers and the service is pretty good.

Always consistent, and always good - try the Asian Duck spring roll - Excellent!! Diane is the Maitre'D I believe, what a sweet and friendly woman! I highly recommend this place. read more

For at least 15 years I have been going here at least a couple of time a year. Its a bit of a hike, 45 minutes each way, but always worth it. The staff is ALWAYS friendly and engaging. The atmosphere is just right. Not pretentious, not too casual, suit and tie, or polo and jeans, you fit in. The food is always spot on. It the 3 dozen or so visits we have made, my wife has had the NY strip, vegetables and potatoes all but 1 time and has loved it each and every visit. I am far more adventurous. I have had at least 2 dozen different plates, often opting for the specials. I made the comment to my wife that the last meal we had there was my least favorite of all time... That being said, it was the best meal I had had in 6 months. My expectations are always high and always reached. One of my favorite places to eat... in the world. Dont forget to get the creme brulee. It is as good as any, anywhere read more

What a treat! Starting with Steamed PEI Mussels in a light curry and butter broth, I immensely enjoyed the Roasted Lobster and Crab cake special served with sauteed spinach and asparagus. The mussels were plump and cooked to perfection with a generous portion of homemade bread to mop up the broth. The lobster was succulent and prepared perfectly. Finally, the crab cake was like none I have ever had with what seemed to be no filling to hold it together. A crisp Pinot Grigio complemented the meal perfectly. My only regret is that I had no room left for one of the temping desserts. The service was exemplary, and my perch at the bar was comfortable and casual in a way only a local restaurant can be. What a perfect way to end a lovely weekend in the country:) read more

Great out of the way country place to have some very, very good food. Chef/owner Tom Kee use CAB (certified angus beef) and makes a NY strip steak, as good or better as any steakhouse I have visited. (Morton's, Prime Rib, Capital grill etc) Every night there are blackboard specials and it is always fresh, they run out early, and simply prepared food at reasonable prices. Make reservations on Fri, Sat and Sunday, otherwise just walk in. Bring the kids they have a train running on the wall, close to the ceiling throughout the entire place!! read more

Ate here tonight. The pan seared crab cakes are decent but small. The place itself has zero ambience and you may find yourself wanting to run out the door. It's drab and a bit depressing. Go to Middleburg, lots of nicer places there. In summary: Small portions, over priced, food was "ok." read more

This place has been around for as long as I can remember and with the proliferation of every type and manner of places to feed yourself, any business who can stay alive for this long must have something going for them and at The Rail Stop, they do. First is their darling atmosphere (even though it appears that the train that used to run around the top perimeter of the restaurant now sits in well-deserved retirement display mode). It's like being in Grandma's kitchen. Service is attentive and friendly. We ordered a quesadilla to share as an appetizer and the salsa that came with it was wonderful, with a smoky flavor not very common to most salsa preparations. DELICIOUS! For lunch we enjoyed an eggplant creation, very much like an eggplant lasagna is probably the closets way to describe it. Well-prepared with lots of gooey cheese and pesto a top a large crostini. The shrimp club sandwich was also very nicely done, with a nice portion of shrimp and a side of very fresh coleslaw. read more

Hands down worst restaurant experience EVER. Expensive food that isn't worth it and just the worst service experience I've ever had. Whoever is running that place has no clue how to run a good restaurant. It was much better in the old days when it was just a friendly greasy spoon. What a shame. read more

Fun place, fun village, great brunch dishes using fresh local stuff very well. We had lovely service outside on a beautiful day.

Stopped in for Sunday brunch and was very impressed. The food is delicious and tastes homemade! Great spot in the middle of the little town. Very charming. Try the chorizo breakfast with poached eggs- very good! read more

Really excited to take the family to brunch for the first time here based on the reviews I read. Very limited menu and the Bloody Mary my husband ordered was quite embarrassing. Placed in a small wine glass with one very thin celery stick and hardly the deep red color it should be. The kids ordered a pizza which was uneventful. My husband had a salmon sandwich with chips. The grease coming off the sandwich and chips turned my stomach. We also ordered a donut basket to start with. The donuts were hot but tasted like old grease. Over all I hate to say very disappointed. read more

One of our favorite date night spots. You can ALWAYS count on amazing food. Completely allergy friendly! Diane is THE best! We always ask for her when we make a reservation. We're honored to have her, she is so amazing and kind. Such a great spot for an intimate dinner. read more

I went here with a group and ended up being very underwhelmed. The food was just mediocre and rather pricey. They make a big deal out of their 'house made' pasta which isn't really anything special. The prices were upscale with decidedly not upscale rustic decor. Also, it was a chilly night, and the place was very chilly. Most of the group left their jackets on. On the plus side, our server was excellent. read more

My absolute favorite place to eat and has been for almost a decade. Living in Remington means I could dine in Warrenton or Culpeper for a more convenient drive, but the extra miles are worth this food and atmosphere! Brunch is out of this world-- the tomato basil openface omelet is tasty and light; Made-To-Order DONUTS; spicy blood mary-- what else does one need on a Sunday? Dinner is INSANE- great steaks, housemade pasta entrees, the crab cakes are excellent and I am so excited the Duck Roll is back on the menu! If you stop by for lunch, try the quesadilla- chicken or cheese- topped with sour cream and guac made in house, accompanied with a smoked tomato salsa that I could drink! They always have great soup and chili during lunch hour as well... I could just go on for days about the quality of the food for the price you get it for-- it can't be beat! read more

We visited based on a recommendation from a friend. The food was exceptional - not elaborate but beautifully crafted and composed. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable. It felt like a classic home-town kind of place. We will be visiting again. My Shrimp and Scallops had a perfect sear and a simple but wonderfully balanced sauce. It came paired with a side of Quinoa, wild rice and pine nuts. The slight bitterness of Bok Choy complimented the rest of the meal. The owner (?) recommended a dry white wine from Austria that was perfect with my meal and my wife's fish. The restaurant is attractively situated in the middle of a quiet village. We plan to go back when the surrounding shops are open. Both of our entrees were right at $30. From my memory of the other items on offer I'd say that this is more of a low $$$ rather than a high $$ establishment. But worth every penny. read more

Took an old college friend and his family there for dinner. The server was friendly, the service good and the food excellent. My friend and I both had the seared tuna; our ladies the roasted chicken breast. I love the place because it's within earshot of suburban VA, yet still in the VA countryside. read more

Great food, great service, great menu, great prices, perfect size portions, inviting, relaxed atmosphere. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone for a most enjoyable dining experience! We'll be back! read more

This is a quaint little restaurant in a quaint little town, and the staff are very friendly. Regrettably, the food, while good, is not really outstanding. We stopped by for lunch recently, and I had the trout salad, which was perfectly fine, but not great. My wife had the barbecue chicken sandwich, which she said was a disappointment, really just pieces of chicken covered in a barbecue sauce, and not very good at all. Three stars. read more

My mom, sister, son and I are enjoying a wonderful lunch. The food and service are as spectacular as the warm and friendly atmosphere. Our family has been enjoying the consistent hospitality of this restaurant for almost 30 years. If you, would like to find a place to come and enjoy with friends, family, or even by yourself to make new friends - this is the place to come. read more

Once again Tom Kee and staff has outdone themselves! Lunch was amazing today!

I have dined at many fine places around the world, but this quaint little place in The Plains, VA is the finest I ever had.

I've been here for not less than 10 years. Fantastic food, service, and beverages! The Staff and Chiefs are wonderful!

It was average. Not once did anyone in our group say "you have to try this". That would be fine at a generic restaurant, but it should not be the case when you are paying $25 an entree. The Rail Stop may hit a single or double for you, just don't go there looking for a home run. read more

Such a great local restaurant owned by the highly talented chef, Tom Kee. Food is always consistently great. Friendly staff including our favorite-- Diane. Worth a drive out. read more

First time since it has reopened. Very nice redecoration and an added second floor of cozy seating. We had lunch: bean soup (soup of the day), salad, and a pizza and they were all great. Samantha was our attentive, friendly server. Very nice to have this option in one of our favorite little stopping towns. read more

First time going to this lovely restaurant. Everything from the apps to the desert was delicious! Crab cakes were sooooo good as everyone has already mentioned. Friendly atmosphere and staff. Looking forward to going back read more