Woodberry Kitchen

A night of hit and misses @woodberrykitchen last night. The space is beautiful and warm although the seats are very tight (people often bumped into seats as they moved around, including the staff). The food was generally very good - the Welsh rarebit was flawless and super delicious. The scrapple egg had a tasty but salty scrapple shell but the rest, including the egg, was bland. The roast oysters were super yummy and perfectly cooked. The savory oyster pie had a tasty and flaky crust, smoky oysters but the filling needed some salt and/or acid to brighten it up. The trout was good and pecans grew on us with each bit. Sadly, service was a total disaster and soured the entire evening. The four top table next to us almost left as they had no service until well after we ordered and complained of service throughout the meal. Our experience was much the same. We didn’t get any food or beverages other than water (which took 15 min to arrive) for 30 minutes. The first 2 rounds of appetizers came relatively quickly with about 10-15 min between courses. Dinner took over 30 minutes. Our server never really check in with us (or her other tables). We sat without water for long stretches and Ken was ready for a second drink for over 30 min before he flagged someone down. The cocktails took forever to- first round 15 min after order and 22 min for his martini. You will notice no dessert - we ordered it 15 min after sitting around with the menu. After we ordered, not even the coffee arrived. After 23 minutes, we flagged down our server to cancel our sundae and cheese plate. No real reason given just they were working on the finishing touches - the room was half empty so unclear why. The coffee, a French press was dropped off with our bill that included the 23% gratuity. They definitely didn’t deliver anywhere close to service at any point worth the tip, particularly inexcusable at the price point of the restaurant. Sadly, lack of hospitality again ruined a potential good meal.

The atmosphere was great. The cocktails were very good. The food was hit or miss. Cooked Oysters we good but maybe would have benefitted from some bread to have with them. Chicken and waffles were flavorful but maybe slightly overpriced. The clam and grits were disappointing. The clams were good but the grits were soupy with way too much broth and lacking flavor...I've had much better at most places. The desserts were great though and I loved the baked alaska, which was needed as I was still hungry after barely eating the grits. The service was ok and the servers were pleasant, but we had a lot of waiting to get our orders taken, getting drinks, ordering desserts and getting the check. I wanted to love the place more as I've heard good things and maybe if I tried something different, it may have been better.

Food was okay. Service was okay but not amazing. They never brought one item. Atmosphere was really nice. Music could have been a quieter so that we could hear each other easier. The steak was more red than described, chewey and NOT mouth-watering as you'd hope a steak to be. My partner's scallops had bites that seemed "sandy." I would go back to try other dishes. Everyone was really nice. It had the right amount of fanciness for the occasion.

First time back with the new format. The space is cozy and the food was very good. Will be back.

The service was good and the place is cozy but the food is not very good. I ordered the chicken and waffles and it was slimy. Not crisp at all. My niece ordered fish and that was it - a fish on a plate with nothing else. Very odd, considering all the hype. Also the place is too small for live music - overwhelming and loud.

It was a good experience. Very small and intimate setting. The waitress was extremely attentive and the food was good.

Top notch food experience.

A great hidden gem off the beaten path of Hampden. Their tavern is a small, but very cozy and enjoyable space. Definitely recommend making a reservation. We particularly enjoyed their Maryland style fried chicken, the tavern board, and a rotating pork dish that was on the menu that night. Their menu does change, so don’t always expect what you see in photos or their website. Also important that they went through a revamp recently, so I’d ignore any photos older than 3 years on here.

First time back in four years. They have reduced the size of their dining room by a good chunk but the quality and creativity of the food is as good or better than it ever had been in my opinion. Fantastic drinks, creative food menu and still a welcoming atmosphere in a beautiful section of the city. Glad I had a chance to return.