Family Friendly "eats" in Williamsburg VA?

[marcyinPA]

We're going to Williamsburg on vacation in June. I have two boys, who will be 15 and 11. I'm looking for some good local places to eat dinner while we are there. Not really interested in "fine" dining, although they enjoy good food and are able to sit for nice dinners.

Any suggestions?

 

[JerseyJanice]

We've eaten here a couple of times over the years and enjoyed it:

http://www.captaingeorges.com/

Don't know about your boys, but my teenaged boy and his friends can really get their money's worth at a place like that.

If you're inside Busch Gardens, the best place to eat is Das Festhaus. The desserts are killer--fresh apple strudel, Black Forest cake, Vienna torte and/or German chocolate cake.

 

[marcyinPA]

We've eaten here a couple of times over the years and enjoyed it:

http://www.captaingeorges.com/

Don't know about your boys, but my teenaged boy and his friends can really get their money's worth at a place like that.

If you're inside Busch Gardens, the best place to eat is Das Festhaus. The desserts are killer--fresh apple strudel, Black Forest cake, Vienna torte and/or German chocolate cake.

Thank you! My boys both LOVE seafood...this would be a huge hit!

And yes, we'll be going to Busch Gardens...I'll be sure to check out those desserts!

 

[englishteacha]

There's a Golden Corral with a lovely breakfast buffet, and I also second Das Festhus! BG did a meal deal last year that was an excellent value. I don't know if they'll offer it again but DH and I shared meals and were full.

 

[Hidden_Mickey]

I recommend pre-paying for the meal deals at Busch Gardens. We did that last year and the meal was a LOT of food, and it was good, the best theme park food I ever had, well, except Le Cellier! We went to the Festhaus for lunch, and the Italian pavilion for dinner and it was all great food. Beware of the drink deals though, because you can only get refils of soda. We would have preferred bottled water, and I think you can get a free ice water if you ask.

For outside the park, we did an italian chain restaurant that I never heard of before and can't remember the name of, but it was good.

Oh, and try to hit the Five Guys... the burgers are fantastic!

Check Trip Advisor also, for more ideas.

 

[Ohiodislover]

Tons of pancake houses for the AM.

I will second Capt. Georges. We also enjoy Red, Hot and blue. Good Bbq, and close to the Yankee Candle outlet
Five Guys is good too. We have them in MD, so I didn't think of them

In the park, the portions of food really big. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it.

 

[kacaju]

there is a Cracker Barrel not to far from BG as well.

 

[marcyinPA]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Although we'll probably eat at a chain once or twice, I'm more looking for independent, local places. We have Five Guys and Cracker Barrel here...and they are good, but we like to try new and different places on vacation.

Has anyone here eaten at Food For Thought? They are the #2 restaurant on Trip Advisor....

 

[minniebeth]

My family loved The Cheese Shop in Williamsburg, it's like a specialty take out deli/gourmet foods. There's sandwiches, hot and cold, all kinds of salads, sliced cold cuts and cheeses, sides, accompaniments, drinks, chips, you name it. They had something for everyone and it was all very good. I highly recommend it. Not a place for a sit down meal, but you could take it out and find a nice place to sit or go to and have a picnic or a casual get together meal someplace else.

 

[mikehn]

I like the all you can eat buffet at KFC, on the main drag

 

[HeatherC]

Bumping this up since we're going in April.

I did hear about a chinese restaurant buffet that is supposed to be great for about $10 a person. I believe it is called the Peking Buffet.

Any other suggestions?

 

[ColoradoBuffaloMom]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Although we'll probably eat at a chain once or twice, I'm more looking for independent, local places. We have Five Guys and Cracker Barrel here...and they are good, but we like to try new and different places on vacation.

Has anyone here eaten at Food For Thought? They are the #2 restaurant on Trip Advisor....

We ate at Food for Thought and really enjoyed it. Also there is a Chinese Buffet place right near Food for Thought that is really good and not too expensive.

 

[Crystal0608]

I would try Sal's. It's a VERY good italian restaurant with awesome pizza & spaghetti & meatballs according to my kids, but they have fancier adult choices too. It's in the corner of the Bloom parking lot. The service was great and prices reasonable and within a couple minutes of Colonial Williamsburg.

 

[shmoogrrrl]

It isn't a dinner place, but when it comes to dessert, the VERY BEST place to visit (in my family's opinion) is Sno-to-Go across from the Yankee Candle place.

http://www.sno-to-go.com/

Anytime we are anywhere NEAR Williamsburg we will drive out of the way to go to this place. They have the best snow cones that we have ever had, and I like to consider myself a snow cone connoisseur. We like to get our snow cones and check out the train tracks (my husband and kids are obsessed with trains) behind the place.

So very very very good and so worth the trip. Just keep in mind that they are not open on Sundays!

 

[Quiksilvr]

I lived in Williamsburg for several years. I say this with all of the conviction I can muster:

GO TO HOG WILD.

Hog Wild is a local barbecue joint a few miles outside of the Burg. You might need to ask someone for directions (or you might be able to mapquest or GPS it). You don't see many tourists there. The food is excellent. The guy who owns the place is this huge dude who loves BBQ. The menu covers say:

"Never trust a skinny chef"

I echo Crystal's recommendation for Sal's, however, you need to realize that there are several "Sal's" in Williamsburg. The one she's referring to is "Sal's by Victor" and it is the best of the various Sal's locales in the Burg.

The Chinese restaurant you're thinking of is probably the one out near the K-Mart right off Bypass Road. I don't remember the name, but it is a huge Chinese, Japanese, Mongolian BBQ extravaganza. It's very good for a Chinese buffet.

If you're looking for something a little more American and low-key, you should try one of the delis. The College Delly, Paul's, and the Green Leafe are across the street from W&M's Zable Stadium. They become crazy college bars at night, but during the day they have good food as well.

There's another BBQ place (more like a fast food restaurant) called Pierce's Pitt BBQ. It's very good, but I prefer Hog Wild.

I could go on, but I think I'll stop. Go to Hog Wild. Go to Sal's by Victor.

 

[tripletots]

It isn't a dinner place, but when it comes to dessert, the VERY BEST place to visit (in my family's opinion) is Sno-to-Go across from the Yankee Candle place.

http://www.sno-to-go.com/

Anytime we are anywhere NEAR Williamsburg we will drive out of the way to go to this place. They have the best snow cones that we have ever had, and I like to consider myself a snow cone connoisseur. We like to get our snow cones and check out the train tracks (my husband and kids are obsessed with trains) behind the place.

So very very very good and so worth the trip. Just keep in mind that they are not open on Sundays!

I second Sno-to-go. It is directly across the street from Yankee Candle. You need to be careful or you'll miss it. They are closed on Sundays. Better than a snow cone, really fluffy like real snow.

 

[kimmar067]

...sheesh, I wish I could remember the name of that awesome steakhouse we ate at....very 'family-friendly'...

 

[kimmar067]

...I remembered it! It's the Aberdeen Barn, and here is a link:

http://www.aberdeen-barn.com/

 

[HeatherC]

Wow! Thanks everyone! Will definitely check out these places.

We all love BBQ so Hog Wild sounds great. Also...my kids will love to try Sno to Go. And I will love making them visit Yankee Candle with me first!

Thanks again!

 

[KinPA]

Thanks for the info from me, too. We are doing Williamsburg and BG for the first time in June also.