Category: Williamsburg Reviews

You will never know how negatively a waiter can affect your meal until you have an evening like we had at The Whitehall Restaurant. The food isn’t great either.

When we arrived at Whitehall there was only one other table being used by customers. This surprised us, given the stellar reputation that had preceded our visit. The designer of the interior was a huge fan of hard woods, as it can be found on the floors, walls, ceiling, tables and everywhere else you look. It feels like you’re dining in a sophisticated log cabin, or perhaps an outdated country club. There is an interesting glass floor near the entrance which allows for a view of the wine cellar below. While this is conceptually intriguing, in practice it simply creates a bottle neck because everyone who walks near it slows to look below. I saw more than one customer nearly trip over another person or nearby table as they mindlessly peered into the glass.

We were seated immediately by our waiter, an older gentleman with a serious attitude problem. He possessed an air of arrogance that I have seen from no other waiter (or even chef or owner, for that matter) from any establishment, ever. He gave curt, one word answers and often answered questions as he was walking away without turning around. Dishes were slapped on the table and food pushed onto us whether we were ready for it or not. He referred to the Amuse-bouche as a “special treat”, as if we were children who wouldn’t know any better. We were blown away by his seemingly endless ability to offend.

It is extremely difficult to look past the terrible service we received at The Whitehall, but in order to give a fair review of the food I will attempt to put that part of my experience out of my mind. The bread was bland, the ceaser salad far to oily, and the lamb portions minute. Though the lamb was well cooked, it overly spicy for my taste. The sides, an uninspired vegetable medley given to every customer that evening, was inedible. And then there was the hot tea. It was served to us not in a pot or kettle, but by the cup. We had to place our bags in our cups every so briefly, remove the dripping bags and place them on our bread plates where they promptly created puddles rendering the plate otherwise useless, and then prepare each cup to our liking. As soon as you were happy with that cup you needed a refill, which meant moving the bag back to the cup and repeating the whole sordid affair. This is the worst method of serving tea that I’ve ever experienced anywhere, not just in a restaurant.

All told the experience was a nightmare. There were no redeeming qualities and the service was so unbelievably terrible that I would never consider going back. It doesn’t help matters that the food is uninspired and the prices are exorbitant.

If my review was based only on the taste of the food and the service, I would give this place a perfect score. The food is outstanding—creative, well, presented and definitely delicious. Make room for every course, because you can’t possibly leave one out with food that tastes this good.

The chef of Fat Canary has cooked in restaurants across the U.S.—North Carolina, New Orleans, Hawaii, and California. His food reflects that. We’ve eaten here a couple of times, and the service is always top notch. Our server was knowledgeable of both the food and the wine on the menu. You don’t have to wait around for another drink, or for the check.

One of the most important pieces to a review is the atmosphere, which I wasn’t totally impressed with at the FC. The main dining area is just too small. The seats are close together. I guess it’s supposed to reflect a bistro- type atmosphere, but I beg to differ. The last time Charlie and I ate there, we were sandwiched in between two couples. We could hear every word they said. It’s fine to have a long booth against the wall for seating, but the tables were just uncomfortably close.

They do have a small outdoor dining area on their patio, which could possibly offer a little more privacy. We have never had the opportunity to eat outside because we have only dined at FC during the winter months.

The other downside to the atmosphere is the color of the walls. I think the shade of green on the walls made the place feel outdated and even more closed in. I wouldn’t even try to sit at the bar either because people are constantly trying to squeeze behind you to make it to the main dinning area.

While the restrooms are large with plenty of mirrors for primping, it’s quite a hike to get there. You have to go down a few flights of stairs, and then make it back up those stairs to get to your seat again! This again is a refection of their lack of space on the main floor. If you’re looking for a place to dine with excellent food and not a lot of privacy, this is the place.

For some time now Fat Canary has been one of the most popular resturaunts in the region, and with good reason. Excellent food and top notch service is the best way to make a reputation for yourself in this industry, and Fat Canary provides both in spades.

Service at Fat Canary feels a bit more personal than in many other resturaunts we review. The staff is also more knowledgable than is normally seen, and very warm. This is especially true of the wait staff, who seem to really enjoy working there.

The food is some of the best in the region, period. It’s consistently above average and varied enough to please just about anyone’s pallet. I’ve never had anything there I wouldn’t have again. I will say that they don’t really offer anything “special”, meaning you won’t find anything here you couldn’t find in a dozen other restaurants in the area. The difference is that at Fat Canary they get it right, every time.

Nothing is perfect in life, and Fat Canary has some weak spots that potential diners should be aware of. The biggest is the atmosphere. The place is simply ugly to look at (inside) and very small. The bar is never more than fifty feet away with nothing to block the noise coming from it, and the bar is always packed. This has never been a serious problem in the past, but it’s something to be wary of. Another concern is the lack of seating. Many times the outdoor seating is not available so you are confined to the cramped quarters inside. Some of the tables, especially the smaller ones, are a bit too close for comfort. Needless to say, make a reservation and be prepared to spend at least $40.00 per person.

Having said all of those nasty things, I urge you to give Fat Canary a try. Go, relax, and enjoy the good food and great service.

Contact Information for Fat Canary:
Fat Canary
410 Duke of Gloucester Street
Williamsburg, Virginia 23185
757-229-3333