The White Dog Bistro

Made reservations for Valentine’s Day and we were not disappointed! Great food, service and atmosphere! I had the château Briand and I could cut it with a fork it was so tender. The endive salad was also amazing. We will be back!

We were guests of close friends at this marvelous bistro. There were 7 in our party. Our last visit was 2 years ago as we rarely get to Mathews.
This was a delightful experience. A boutique bar in a cozy room with a roaring fire in the fireplace. An elegant dinner served by a first class wait staff, very attentive but not pushy. A very nice and varied selection of seafood entrees. What more can I say?
A memorable evening.

Delicious!!! Really amazing food in Mathews! Owner Mac is friendly and makes sure everyone feels good. Delicious food! You will love it!

This restaurant is cute, but it takes itself too seriously. The prices and indoor ambiance would indicate a certain sophistication, but the service we received seemed novice and overly casual and the food, while aesthetically attractive, was «gourmet lite» at best. Don’t get me wrong; this isn’t a bad restaurant and it would be perfectly lovely for a intimate get-​together with friends or family. (Also, their gluten-​free menu is fantastic — my friend has celiac disease and was totally thrilled by the variety.) It’s just that I would expect more value for the price. Our server was very disorganized and despite it being a generally quiet night, she took forever with drinks (and still forgot the water). In fact, we ordered another round of beers when our entrees arrived and had still not received them for at least 10 minutes after we’d all finished eating. Finally, we had to walk up to the bar to cancel the drink order and request our bill. Our server asked us point blank if we were cancelling the drinks because she took so long (wow, awkward), then gave us the wrong table’s bill, then finally gave us a bill that included the drinks we never received. Once that was fixed, she charged the wrong amounts to the two credit cards we paid with, despite the totals and names being written down on the bill for her. (There were three of us, so not a huge group.) The food was OK, not bad, but not great. I wouldn’t recommend ordering the Calamari with queso, although I guess I should have suspected that anyway. The calamari itself was perfectly cooked and had a wonderful breading, but then it came smothered in black beans and corn (?). It was sort of just confusing to eat and disjointed as a dish.
I think overall the restaurant is perfectly nice, but not especially sophisticated or worth the prices.

We come to the White Dog fairly often, about once a month. We had family in unexpectedly last night and took them over to the White Dog. We had appetizers and entrees that ranged from pork to seafood to Vegan and everything was excellent. We were so full there was no room for desert! The beverage selection was also great and they make a mean martini. Our guests were very impressed and we think the White Dog just keeps getting better. Really appreciate the addition of the Veg/​Vegan and gluten free menus. Now, no worries about anyone’s dietary preferences and the vegetarian menu in particular was varied, fresh and eclectic. Something for everyone! Highly recommend it. Love the outdoor seating and a mello guitar player was a nice addition as well.

Excellent service and food! We love Mac and JC! They are knowledgeable and friendly, so entertaining! We are regulars here. We love Courtney the bartender. The ambience is fabulous and everyone is wonderful. Mike and Tom the waiters are awesome

My husband and I came here to celebrate his birthday, as we were taking a mini road trip down to the Mathews County area. I was super duper excited to try the White Dog Bistro out, as it seems like such a cute little restaurant in this historic town! The restaurant is situated in the old Lane’s Hotel and owned by Mac and JC Casale. I loved the outdoor patio seating on the porch as well as the modern/​contemporary vibe of the dining room décor. Making reservations is a breeze (you can either use their online booking system (but, would still need an email confirmation) or call via phone (I recommend the latter). Their menu offers items such as soups, salads, appetizers, meat and seafood entrees, vegetarian options, as well as desserts. The menu also changes on a weekly basis to showcase local produce and such, so I thought that was pretty cool. They also have a nice wine/​beer/​specialty cocktails that you can also enjoy. We were served a little platter of cheeses, pickles, and olives, as well as a plate of smoked gouda cornbread and foccacia (both were forgettable). My husband started off with a Daily soup, which was potato and leeks, topped with candied bacon — this wasn’t grainy as it usually can be, and it was seasoned well. My husband thought it was pretty okay. I had the Cornmeal Dusted and Fried Oysters ‘Caprese’ — oysters from Sea Farms in Mathews, VA, were used, with fresh, juicy heirloom cherry tomaotoes, basil pesto, and a balsamic glaze; the oysters were very plump and juicy, and the light cornmeal batter was a nice added touch. The tomatoes were lovely, and the basil pesto and the balsamic glaze were both not too overpowering. I really liked this dish! For our main entrees, my husband had the Braised Oxtail ‘Bourguignon’ — this was a braised oxtail with burgandy and tomato and-​enhanced pearl onion stew, some candied bacon and a side of white truffle-​infused mac & cheese — the oxtails were tender and slightly fatty (which my husband likes), but a little on the saltier side. The side of the truffle mac & cheese was quite delicious and creamy, and the truffle oil was not too strong in it. I had the Huntsman’s Mixed Grill, which came with grilled elk flank steak, cherry wood-​smoked duck, a cacciatore-​style sauce with stewed rabbit loin, all over linguine pasta. I was NOT a fan of this dish, even though it was stated as a house specialty; it was described as not being gamey, and you can request how the meat is to be prepared temperature-​wise. I did not realize that the whole dish was a ‘stew’ — I thought it would be a rabbit stew on the side, rather than the stew all over the dish. Also, the meat itself, I thought it would be more of a grilled meats/​kabobs-​style, with some nice charcoal-​flavor. The pasta itself was also overcooked and not al dente, and I just was not a fan of the sauce flavor. We had a lovely server and he was pretty attentive, and the hostess was also really sweet and made sure that our experience was pleasant. I just wasn’t a fan of my entrée and am not sure if I’m just not a fan of ‘River Country’ cuisine and/​or just the flavors of the entrees here. I am thinking that this place will be good for Happy Hour or to just come by for a drink and some appetizers. I’m glad I was able to try this place out, though!
+Cornmeal Dusted and Fried Oysters ‘Caprese’
+friendly staff

After several aborted attempts we finally made it to the White Dog. We were greeted by JC with a side comment from Mac about how we finally made it. That set the tone for a great evening and meal.
The meal started with a complementary olive tray. We followed that with perfectly fried green tomatoes with crab salad as a topper. My pork chop was cooked to perfection with a corn salsa and very interesting potatoes. Susan had the chicken which was bathed in a delicious cheese sauce accompanied by black beans and rice with a succotash side. Both meals were beautifully plated and delicious.
We then went to the bar for an after dinner drink where Mac was holding court detailing the history of the White Dog.
The entire evening was thoroughly delightful. There is no question that we will return

Fine dining in a casual, cozy environment. Fireplaces in the winter and outdoor bar and deck in the warmer months. Excellent menu options that change with the seasons, and very reasonable prices. The White Dog has an extensive wine menu and the owner is very helpful in making suggestions. Friendly staff and great food! A must visit!

We were in town for Valentine’s Day and came across the 4 course special online. We certainly were not disappointed. The quality, presentation and taste of the food were all incredible. I ordered the lobster tail which came with au gratin and it was all fresh and cooked perfectly. The dessert, red velvet cake with cheesecake, was also amazing. The cake was topped with a chocolate sauce and it made for a delicious ending to a great meal. A fun part of the night was the interesting cocktails they serve too. I ordered a white sparkler topped with 151. The owner personally came out and lit the 151 with a lighter which made for a nice little show and it was also a great drink! My husband had a But but blue with a Hpnotiq glow stick, it was also pretty good.

Great atmosphere and décor, friendly and attentive staff and delicious food. We’re visiting Mathews from DC and this place definitely was a pleasant surprise and is better than many price comparable spots in the city. We came later in the evening during winter and it was kind of dead. Would love to come back in summer and see the place when the patio is open.
Was gonna take a star off for the very few wine by the glass options, but I understand why a smaller place like this might have to limit the selection. Good beer list made up for it.
Definitely recommend the bruschetta and the pistachio crusted pork. Mmmmm.

A fine eclectic setting with a very relaxed trendy vibe. We arrived early afternoon on a Sunday and were between the brunch and dinner crowd, so the nice part was the owners/​wait staff took extra time to be social and friendly with us.
The weather was perfect so we sat on the back porch. The meal I ordered was fantastic — both in presentation and taste. The mellon prosciutto salad was very refreshing and the seafood bowl was well flavored and cooked. The bottled beer selection was a little lacking, but had some nice choices on the bottom of the list.
It’s hard to believe such a nice experience is found in such a remote setting as Matthews. Definitely a nice place for a romantic date.