Rose and Crown

We just finished having lunch at the Rose and Crown. This little place is an old English style tavern right in the middle of New Kent. We do not have a lot of restaurants in our small little County so it’s great that I can rate this place with five stars. The atmosphere is very nice and the building itself is cool in a historical way. It has a really cool yet small bar area but plenty of dining space. The food was great and the service friendly. There was plenty of people there and it seems to be a local favorite. We will definitely be back to try dinner and brunch.

Just had Sunday brunch herevery attentive staff and something for everyone! Fast and served fresh. Worth the stop, $ 20 plus tip.

Yesterday was our second time at the Rose and Crown after 3 years. Upon sitting down we were greeted by fresh servings of spoon bread which were delicious and made me excited to see what the menu entailed. To my disappointment the menu was lackluster but I decided on the crab cake entrée ($ 20 not well spent). I ordered my sides to be a salad (served on a TINY side plate, which reminded me of a hospital) and green beans (canned topped with bacon I’m guessing to enhance the flavor). The crab cakes were dry and room temperature when they arrived. I am a food enthusiast and enjoy going out to eat because it means a) I don’t have to cook and b) that I can try something that I otherwise wouldn’t make at home. I was very disappointed with Rose and Crown. For the prices, I could have gotten something a lot better and with more flavor. What’s disappointing is that the restaurant is in a beautiful setting and very nice, but the food is just not what it should be.

We stumbled upon this place while detouring on our way back from VB. It’s a nice little place located in the middle of nowhere so we didn’t have high expectations. The staff was very friendly and welcoming. While we waited we had the opportunity to meet the owner who was a great guy and very hospitable.
The 5 stars is because I loved the ambience and the owner who was very pleasant.
The food would probably get a 2.3÷3 stars because my chicken salad wasn’t anything too special and was bland. I ordered a burger and specifically asked for no bacon but guess what??! I’m as out to take a bite of the delicious looking burger and bacon strips are poking out of the bun. It was too late to turn back and change it so I tossed it out! A good burger and money gone to waste.

Cute little refurbished restaurant in «downtown» New Kent. They have a great wine list and a bunch of different options from English fare to more Southern styles. I had the fried green tomato BLT with a cajun aioli and fried okra. Amahhzing. Service was on point and atmosphere was nice. Definitley the stop to make in between Saude Creek vineyards and New Kent winery.

This was my second try at the Rose and Crown, the first was a few years ago… and I liked it less the second time around. We went there right after the lunch «rush» and before dinner, so an awkward time of watching the staff clean tables, complain about tables being loose, restocking, fingernails being broken by other staff going through the door… and with the echo in the rooms it was hard to hear my husband over the chatter whenever they were out and about. The food was mediocre at best, when I went last time the food was a little better, more high end, but I’m guessing with the area they’re in that wouldn’t have been cost effective for them and they’ve gone a bit down hill. (Seriously, look at other ratings on Unilocal in the area and you’ll see a Pilot gas station got 5 out of 5 stars… a gas station). For my meal I had Prince William’s favorite (I’m not sure why that was important on the menu), but it just sounded like a less fatty version of shepherd’s pie. What came out was a a mixture of frozen vegetables (think Bird’s Eye Vegetable Medley with the lima beans) mixed in with a store bought brown gravy and some ground beef, then an ice cream scoop of buffet style mashed potatoes on top (aka potatoes that were made and then just warmed up or kept under a heat lamp). The server barely looked in on us, (btw, there wasn’t any sugar for my coffee, and a refill of coffee or water would have been nice) and was in a rush to get us out of there. With all the nicer restaurants in Williamsburg to satisfy my gourmet side, and all the junk food chain restaurants… well, everywhere, to satisfy my «meh» food tastes, we won’t be back to the Rose and Crown. It really is in a beautiful spot though, I really wish I liked it more.

We stopped here on our way back home from Williamsburg. The restaurant is cute and the wait staff is very friendly and attentive. The food however was hit or miss. I had the fried green tomatoes and crab cake which was tasty. The rest of my family didn’t care for their meals, however. My daughter ordered a ham and cheese croissant. A ham and cheese on thick cut white bread came out instead and she wouldn’t eat it. My other daughter ordered a cheeseburger and it arrived without cheese. My husband ordered the Shepard’s pie and didn’t care for the meat, al dente vegetables, or lack of seasoning. He commented that it tasted like the vegetables were added to the meat after the fact. We waited for 30−35min for our food, so didn’t complain or send the food back because we needed to get back on the road. Overall, I think this place is worth a try.

On the way to the Richmond airport from williamsburgt and was looking for something that was not ‘airport’ food. The rose and crown was more elevated than we were expected. My wife really enjoyed the quiche and the salad was nicely done.
Service was attentive but not overbearing.

The cuisine is elevated British pub fare and the setting is a historical home in downtown New Kent. I ordered fish and chips, my husband bangers and mash, and the toddler grilled cheese off the kids menu. They give you a concoction called spoon bread while you wait. The flavor is sort of a corn bread/​bread pudding flavor sweetened by butter and is pretty delicious. The entrees I’m happy to report are human sized portions instead of the usual gargantuan servings British style restaurants in America serve. The food is yummy and the service is fine. Prices for adult entrees are great but the kids menu is a little over priced at $ 7.99 a dish. We will definitely be back whenever we are in the area!

The food is good I will say that. We enjoyed the Fried Green Tomatoes and I tasted the crab cakes and salmon, I liked both. However, the service was terrible! It took an hour to even get our full order in. She then came back about 15 minutes later and stated that 2 out of our 6 orders were no longer available and they would have to order something else. We had one server, but 2 – 3 other employees would walk up and ask if we needed anything or said they would try to help us, however never returned (I think they felt bad, but were like «EH! Not my table»). It was the most bizarre experience. I think they should have offered to comp the $ 5 appetizers we got in the least. With all of this said, I do not plan to return.

I’m amazed at the reviews! This was a wonderful experience. Every food item we ordered (party of 4) was over the top. No item was generic menu fare. Staff were VERY friendly. This is NOT a fast food or diner where you get food on demand. Be prepared to relax and enjoy the food.
Kathy J.

Service was a little slow. happy enough with the open faced kent-​turkey. Ladies, bring a wrap around. they had the a/​c cranked.

It was a long drive for average. There was a very loud, drunken party in the front room and their noise permeated the place. Management should have quieted them down. The fried green tomatoes-​out of this world. The homemade chips-​overcooked and cold! Come on folks. The fish and chips: average and very unlike any I have had elsewhere (not in a good way either). The burger was good. The bloody marys at brunch were very good. All in all, if you are in the area, not a bad place to eat. It isnt worth driving to though.

This place is cute. I loved the atmosphere. The wait staff was very accommodating, but since they were busy they were not very attentive.
I had the rockfish and it was okay. Could have used a little salt and my review would be increased to perfection! My sister had the chicken and it was missing the artichokes. Come to find out that they ran out of them. The waitress did the right thing and brought another side and took 10% off their bill.
I would try this place again…

I made the voyage here to meet some old friends who live in New Kent and to go to Colonial Downs on my birthday. We made a reservation, and having never been there, I expected the place to be wildly popular since it’s the only real restaurant around there.
We arrived to a mostly empty restaurant on a Saturday night. This was not a good sign. It was quiet and clean, but reminded me of the dining room of a small upscale group/​nursing home, as the décor was sterile.
Our server was friendly but not terribly knowledgeable about ingredients of the dishes. Our wait was a little long for a half empty place, but we were given complimentary spoon bread and an order of their homemade chips to hold us over, so no big deal-​these things happen and they handled it properly.
The disappointment came with the meal. It was just bland. I ordered the rockfish and there was just honestly nothing special about it. Again, it reminded me of hospital or nursing home. If I had any older relatives left kicking around it would be perfect for them, but it just didn’t do anything for me. There’s only so much you can do by adding salt.
New Kent really needs something more exciting in the courthouse area. For this price, you can do much better by driving into Richmond and going to a dive diner. Spend the money on gas and skip this place unless it’s grandma’s favorite.

Disapointing. Fish n chips were soft and lukewarm. Over an hour wait after ordering.

We were looking for a place somewhat halfway between Mechanicsville and Williamsburg to meet friends. We stumbled across this on-​line and tried it. The food was wonderful; the service was great; the owner made us feel like his personal guests; and the price was moderate

My girlfriend and I had dinner and lunch at the Rose and Crown this past summer. We were trying to find a spot for our friend’s rehearsal dinner (the wedding was at Apple Blossom Plantation). The food at the Rose and Crown was wonderful (especially the fried green tomatoes — superb!). The only complaint was that even though the restaurant was not crowded, the service was poor. Very nice folks, just not too quick.

Ten years ago «downtown New Kent» was little more than a post office, a courthouse, some county administration offices, a couple ball fields and three schools. Today it seems a lot bigger with the addition of Rose and Crown, just outside the New Kent Courthouse, and the newly arrived Maidstone area, on the other side of the schools.
Before Rose and Crown and the nearby Village Market and Deli came to the area, you had to drive 10 – 15 minutes to Providence Forge, Quinton/​Bottoms Bridge or just outside West Point to get a real meal in New Kent County. As such, the Rose and Crown is a welcome addition.
The Rose and Crown is a charming country restaurant and has a very Virginian feel. The dining room has simple, but lovely décor and is illuminated by the natural lighting from its plentiful windows.
The food is average, as is the service, however the complimentary spoon bread to start the meal was delicious. Oddly, I wasn’t a fan of the crab cake sandwich, but rather enjoyed it after enjoying it as a separate crab cake and roll. My meal came with fried green tomatoes, which were OK, but could have benefited from a dipping sauce or marmalade. I was also disappointed that a fried green tomatoes side consisted of two skimpy tomato slices, but if I had chosen the chips I could have enjoyed an entire plateful of freshly made starchy bites.
All in all, Rose and Crown was a pleasurable experience and is worth a visit if you’re in the area.