I dined on Thursday 01/22/26 for 7 course dinner. I had high hopes and was disappointed. Value: 1 out of 5; menu: 2 of 5; service: 3 of 5; memorable bites: 2 of 5; artistry and presentation: 4 of 5; ambiance 3 of 5. Value: bread course should have been included in the tasting menu. $12 for one large parker house is really crazy as there is only $.15 worth of flour in the roll. At least enhance the bread course with a local house made apple butter and perhaps a little Maldon salt on the butter, something to justify $12.00. The menu included six vegetable dishes and only one meat dish. The main course was grilled duck scrapple that would fit on a teaspoon. There is no sample menu online, intentionally. Regardless of what they may say, the six vegetable courses are selected because the raw ingredients are cheap. Should have been one seafood course like a beautiful seared scallop in a wonderful sauce or juice and two meat courses featuring locally sourced products. Staunton is known for producing chicken, turkey, pork ( Turner hams ) and grass fed angus. Menu: disclose the menu and don’t hide behind “ well it changes seasonally and daily. They don’t want folks to know it is so vegetable forward. Memorable bites: all dishes are served at room temperature. When the waiter was questioned he said the chef says food is better served at room temperature vs hot/ warm because of flavor. BS. It is only true for a few dishes. What happens is the menu is designed for very little cooking to order, it is designed for composing dishes. Cooking to order things like scallops, risotto, pan seared duck breast takes a lot of effort to do it right and beautifully. The vegetable dishes were tasty and the chef developed flavor and a pop of heat in the dishes, however, we did not come for or pay for six vegetable dishes. Artistry: each composed plate was very attractive. Service: service was ok, servers were in Jeans and white shirts, some wrinkled. Service was casual but on a whole attentive, but not at a Michelin level by any means. Our average check was $200 so there should have been tablecloths on the table. Ambiance: ok, the room was loud due to hard surfaces. Will not return and cannot recommend to family or friends. I would however recommend to vegetarians.
Maude & the Bear
Excerpts
I dined on Thursday 01/22/26 for 7 course dinner. I had high hopes and was disappointed. Value: 1 out of 5; menu: 2 of 5; service: 3 of 5; memorable bites: 2 of 5; artistry and presentation: 4 of 5; ambiance 3 of 5. Value: bread course should have been included in the tasting menu. $12 for one large parker house is really crazy as there is only $.15 worth of flour in the roll. At least enhance the bread course with a local house made apple butter and perhaps a little Maldon salt on the butter, something to justify $12.00. The menu included six vegetable dishes and only one meat dish. The main course was grilled duck scrapple that would fit on a teaspoon. There is no sample menu online, intentionally. Regardless of what they may say, the six vegetable courses are selected because the raw ingredients are cheap. Should have been one seafood course like a beautiful seared scallop in a wonderful sauce or juice and two meat courses featuring locally sourced products. Staunton is known for producing chicken, turkey, pork ( Turner hams ) and grass fed angus. Menu: disclose the menu and don’t hide behind “ well it changes seasonally and daily. They don’t want folks to know it is so vegetable forward. Memorable bites: all dishes are served at room temperature. When the waiter was questioned he said the chef says food is better served at room temperature vs hot/ warm because of flavor. BS. It is only true for a few dishes. What happens is the menu is designed for very little cooking to order, it is designed for composing dishes. Cooking to order things like scallops, risotto, pan seared duck breast takes a lot of effort to do it right and beautifully. The vegetable dishes were tasty and the chef developed flavor and a pop of heat in the dishes, however, we did not come for or pay for six vegetable dishes. Artistry: each composed plate was very attractive. Service: service was ok, servers were in Jeans and white shirts, some wrinkled. Service was casual but on a whole attentive, but not at a Michelin level by any means. Our average check was $200 so there should have been tablecloths on the table. Ambiance: ok, the room was loud due to hard surfaces. Will not return and cannot recommend to family or friends. I would however recommend to vegetarians.
My review of Maude and the Bear: My friends and I are avid fans of tasting menu restaurants and were very excited to try Maude and Bear, especially since it's ranked among the top 50 in Northern Virginia. Unfortunately, our experience fell quite short of our expectations. As other reviewers have pointed out, the bread and butter should be part of the tasting experience rather than an extra charge, a detail that seemed out of place given the price point. Of the seven courses we enjoyed, only about two stood out while the rest failed to impress. We were hoping for bold, memorable flavors that would truly wow us, but sadly, none of the dishes delivered that excitement. Considering the quality and creativity we anticipated, the overall experience was disappointing, especially given the cost. It’s very unfortunate, as this place didn't live up to its hype or its ranking. However, the staff were friendly and attentive, which made the experience pleasant.
My review of Maude and the Bear: My friends and I are avid fans of tasting menu restaurants and were very excited to try Maude and Bear, especially since it's ranked among the top 50 in Northern Virginia. Unfortunately, our experience fell quite short of our expectations. As other reviewers have pointed out, the bread and butter should be part of the tasting experience rather than an extra charge, a detail that seemed out of place given the price point. Of the seven courses we enjoyed, only about two stood out while the rest failed to impress. We were hoping for bold, memorable flavors that would truly wow us, but sadly, none of the dishes delivered that excitement. Considering the quality and creativity we anticipated, the overall experience was disappointing, especially given the cost. It’s very unfortunate, as this place didn't live up to its hype or its ranking. However, the staff were friendly and attentive, which made the experience pleasant.
We had an unforgettable dinner at this charming restaurant! From the moment we walked in, the ambiance set a perfect tone for the evening-stylish yet relaxed. We opted for the tasting menu, and every dish exceeded expectations. The flavors …