Visited this establishment twice and had two very different experiences.  The first time, we were seated in back for dinner.  We had excellent service and our food was very good.  We had the scotch egg and the white collar mac 'n cheese.  Neither was mind blowing but they were both solid.  In other words, worth a try once but certainly not worth the calories having them regularly.  hahaha  We also had good beers which filled us up too much for us to try dessert.  It was pricey for what we got but again, the server was pretty good and sometimes a place is worth it for good atmosphere and service, too.
That was the PH's failing on our second visit. Â We sat at the bar this time and received just about the worst service a bartender could give. Â No smile. Â No welcome. Â Just threw a drink menu at us and asked what we wanted. Â At first, I thought it was some kind of funny shtick, but she was seriously a bartender in a hateful mood! Â She took the menus back, made our drinks and served them and they were fine, but I also wanted to get some water and order food. Â We sipped for a few minutes and then hubby and I tried to get eye contact so we could ask for water and order. Â Nope. Â Not happening. Â She was making drinks for others (it was NOT busy in there this night, BTW) and every time she came down anywhere near us, she would keep her head down and back to us. Â We didn't want to be rude and snap our fingers or something and since she hadn't said her name, we weren't quite sure how to call out to here. Â Meanwhile, we're sipping and now we're so irritated we decide we'll go eat somewhere else, but we'd still like some water because these are some strong beverages and hydration is a good idea! Â We just could not get her attention at all. Â I waved at her a few times when she would turn our way but got no response. Â What the heck!?! Â Then we hear her down talking to others about how she's getting ready to move to California and we're thinking she must not care about this job any more. Â We were hopefully we would find out when she was moving because we won't go there again until she's gone! Â Finally, we gave up on ever getting her attention and were lucky that a table server happened behind the bar. Â We asked her if we could get our check, which she did, and we paid (with super meager tip to make our point) and left.
So until the world's worst bartender moves her lazy self to San Francisco, I recommend that if you go to PH, you sit at a table and be taken care of by servers who care. Â As a former bartender, I usually do my best to reward people in the service industry who are good at what they do. Â Had I gotten her name, I really would have spoken to a manager to make them aware of the situation. Â My score of PH reflects a 4 on one visit dragged down by a less than 1 star on the second. Â I will be happy to revisit this score if future visits are better.
I just moved to the tidewater region from NM. Â I have not been impressed with the local fare. Â That is, until I cam eto Public House. Â I love this place! Â The menu is mouthwatering! I want to try it all. The cheese sticks are sublime. Â The Burger was good but maybe overpowerd from all the fixins on top. Â The choc cake was yummy! Â I AM coming back to this place. Oh, they have a great beer slection too. Â Just drive a small car b/c parking along this st is hard to find:)
Review Source:The first time I went to Public House was for brunch. I had the waffle battered chicken and it was uh-mazing. This last time I went was for dinner and it was just as good as the first time. This time I started with bacon wrapped tots with smoky ketchup and they were as delicious as they sound. The tots were enough to fill a shot glass and were oh so perfectly cooked. The ketchup was subtle but with a kick at the end. I could eat them all day. For my meal I had the crab cake on ciabatta. I'm very picky and this crab cake was all I hoped it would be. There was absolutely NO extra filler and it was delicious as well. My ONLY complaint about it would be the size of the crab cake versus the size of the bun but it just took a little spreading to cover the empty area. I am particularly fond of the back area of the restaurant that has another bar and pool tables and is open to smoking. Â It gave my friends and I a place to continue enjoying drinks without taking up a table and it allowed us to smoke freely without dealing with the heat outside. All in all the restaurant hasn't disappointed me yet. The service has always been great and the menu has something for everyone. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone.
Review Source:I definitely have to point out I'm usually the last person to be picky or have something bad to say about a place, but here I definitely have something to say. I cook in a kitchen for a living so I understand how busy, loud, and crazy things can get in a restaurant/ bar. But most importantly I know how important it is to season and taste food that's going out. I was excited to try this place but in the end I was dissatisfied with most of the experience.
I know the people who work there have no control over this but the owners made a big mistake buying this building, the sound in this place kills. As soon as we stepped in the place was packed, usually I'm fine with that but here get ready to loose your hearing bc you couldn't hear shit but the screaming of over 60 or more drunk people. Plus it didn't help that there was no music to cover it but what are ya gonna do :0
Our server was awesome though! I didn't get his name sadly bc of the noise but he was tall, tan, bleach blond hair and very kind. He was on time with everything and worked his ass off dealing with the crowd and heat.
And yes it was very hot, expected to have that in a old, huge room full of heavy breathing, cackling cunts (sorry but a lot of the people drinking here were well off, douchebag, polo wearing bros and there thin cackling girlfriends). Sorry guys :)
But anywho ,the menu looked great, what food I saw looked great. BUT. Everything that came to our table was very under seasoned. I mean, that's food fundamentals guys. And this stuff would have been so great if it were just seasoned!
I will definitely like to come back to this place and give it another try. Consistency is a problem in most restaurants and this place has the potential of being really good! I want this place to work :)
---3.5 stars---
I'm making it a point to try as many places in Norfolk that I can since I'm working there now. I was talking to someone about where to eat when I noticed this place has bacon wrapped tater tots! Someone at work mentioned how awesome this place is, so that settled where to eat. Once inside, you see a decent sized bar area and plenty of seating area. There was an outdoor patio, but it was way too humid to enjoy any of that this time.
The Food.
-Bacon-wrapped tater tots (pictured): First, these things are huge! It's like the size of a small potato! I think the name is a bit off to call it a "tater tot" for the size alone. The texture is one the hash brown side so may be a bacon wrapped hash brown is more appropriate? Either way, the thing was delicious. I believe we got a total of 5 tots.
-Wafle-battered chicken breast w/ blueberry maple syrup (pictured): This was oh so good! Salty and sweet combo pleasing my taste buds. Chicken was fried, but moist inside. That blueberry maple syrup really made the dish. My mistake with this dish was not eating the biscuit while it was hot! As for the sides, my asparagus was not cooked all the way and eating it raw was not very appetizing
-Bangers and Mash (pictured): My friend ordered this since the name of the dish piqued our curiosity. The dish is pretty much sausage and mashed potatoes. The sausage had a very smokey flavor. Quite overwhelming. The texture was a bit off for me too since it reminded me of pate.
The Service.
No complaints about our server. He explained everything pretty well, especially when we asked what a banger was! The menu is pretty quirky so read all the little notes and tips for some laughs. One thing I do love about this place is that they'll leave a huge bottle of water for your table so you don't have to constantly keep asking for refills.
Overall, the place reminds me of Richmond and the quirky menu kept me entertained. Most of my meal was a hit, but so sad that they didn't cook my asparagus properly!
Maybe my overall favorite spot in Norfolk given that it combines a respectable beer menu with a very satisfying menu. Ambience is cool too and the service has always been decent in my experience. We would always get some wings to start and then the entrees of choice were usually the shortribs, mac&cheese, burger, or the BANGERS & MASH (if the machine is ever working, haha). Oh and the shepherd's pie is on point also. Not a place to go watch sports or dance, but a really cool gastropub where you can have a nice meal with your friends and have a few drinks after work.
Review Source:Beer, sure! Â Good food, you betcha. Â
I've been here twice and had mixed experiences. Â The first time, service and food were awesome but our waitress didn't know much about beer. Â The second time, service and food were okay, but our waitress knew a lot about their beer selection. Â
I suppose that since I have mixed feelings, I should return for a third time and break the tie.
A very interesting gastropub menu that made choosing our meals a torturously long process. Â Scottish eggs appetizer was over the top gluttonously good (sausage-filled hard boiled eggs, deep fried). Â Fried oysters were delicious. Â The pulled pork bbq sandwich was very good, as were the fries. Â Very generous sized fish and chips. Â My friend managed to grunt that his ribs were excellent - I didn't risk losing a finger for a bite.
A lot of good beers on tap that you've probably never heard of. Â
Minor annoyances: 1. The only (tap) beer list is the blackboard by the front door - nowhere near our spot at the bar. Â The bartender didn't know the list. Â 2. The three of us waited 15 mins for a table, but when we were seated in the back room there were six open tables. Â And no, a crowd had not just walked out. Â 3. We discovered that it was raining outside when it started pouring in through the ceiling. Â Seriously, there were at least three major leaks within arm's reach of us at the bar.
But those are, as I said, MINOR annoyances. Â Not enough to eclipse the overall great experience. Â I will definitely be going back.
"Good Food + Good Beer = Public House"
They have that on point. Â My friends and I were looking for a new place to try for Brunch that 1. wasn't the normal citrus, burton's, or doc taylors and 2. didn't have an hour wait. Â By chance, driving by, Public House had a sign that said "Brunch until 3pm." Â Little did we know their menu goes beyond their dinner and beer that we were used to.
The host greeted us and was very friendly. Â She let us pick our seats and alerted us of any specials and menu changes right away. Â The menu is filled with LOTS of information. Â It listed more than descriptions for entrees. Â It also listed rules and drink pairings. Â Sometimes, it felt interactive and some things would yield captions with things like "YES, ITS AS GOOD AS IT SOUNDS." Â I liked that a lot of effort went into customizing the menu and it shows in the presentation and quality of the food.
Being ambitious, we ordered 2 Public House Scramble's. Â These were served on skillets layered high with scrambled eggs, string hash brown, chorizo, topped with a mix of cheese. Â This would be enough to feed a normal person but we also ordered their buttermilk pancakes which came out to a stack of 2 MAN cakes larger than the plate served with warm syrup, butter, and some type of blueberry topping. Â The whole combination was amazing! Â We also ordered the French Toast which was powdered and served with blueberry mascarpone. Â We didn't know what mascarpone was until we ordered it and it was like a blueberry cream cheese that melted in your mouth! Â The perfect combination for a sweet and subtle dairy, especially for the morning. Â (It was also a great topping for the pancakes!)
Now, my favorite part of brunch was the *GRIT CAKES* and Duck Fat Fries (YOU MUST ask for extra chipotle ketchup bc you will want to put it on EVERYTHING). Â The grit cakes were like fried macaroni and cheese balls... BUT BETTER. Â The breading on the outside and the minute you bite into the grit cake the flavors of goat cheese, then red peppers, and carmelized onions. Â Normally, after something is served from a fryer it burns your mouth. Â Not this time! Â These were served at just the right temperature! Â and did I mention the grit cakes were only $5.99???? Â I really could of only ate those and been satisfied ....but I wanted to try everything.
it's no wonder you wait so long for your food...which may be my only 'dislike' but the wait is worth it for especially for good food and a helpful staff. Â Thanks for all the recommendations (: Â I'll have to come back and try the rated "best bloody mary."
This past Wednesday, I selected Public House for my team's monthly team builder, having been there several times previously with pretty good experiences. I arrived first, and we were given a table immediately which was a nice plus, since some establishments make you wait for your entire party to arrive. Our handsome server, whom I believe was named Todd did an awesome job. He came over whenever a new person arrived at our table and was attentive without hovering.
Now, for the food--between our group we had shrimp & grits, wings, asparagus fries, white collar mac and cheese, duck fries, and fried shrimp. Those who had the shrimp & grits loved it and had no complaints. Wings & fries, were awesome as usual. I was pleased with my taste of the aparagus fries and loved the aioli it was servied with. Â Now for the white collar mac and cheese and the addition of fried shrimp....unfortunately it left MUCH to be desired. The mac & cheese was very bland and required salt and even after adding I couldn't finish it. The fried shrimp were just......meh.Now maybe, I could've requested to send it back and order something else, but since I was with a group I didn't want the hassle.
Overall though, they've hit the mark of what's expected from a gastropub by creating high end bar food, with the exception of the white collar mac.
A gaggle of co-workers and I stopped in here around 6:15 Friday evening for the Legend Brewery 'Steal the Pint' event. I should have known it wasn't going to live up to my expectations when the hostess said 'What? What beer tasting?".
The first two of us to arrive took our seats and waited for the rest of the group to wander in. Our waiter was a chap named Joshua, more on that in a minute, and we each ordered a Legend brew and started looking over the menu for an app. Legend was showcasing 3 beers Friday evening. Brown Ale, Pale Ale and Hop Fest. Right after our beers landed the final 3 members of our group arrived as well.
Once we had another round we ordered 3 appetizers. I choose the bacon wrapped tater tots first. Along with that we choose the jumbo wings with house BBQ sauce and the Cooked in Duck Fat Fries.
The Legend representative came by our table and asked about the various beers we were trying and we had quite a lively conversation with the guy. He was really cool and quite knowledgeable about the various Legend products. Â As he moved on our apps picked a perfect time to arrive.
The bacon wrapped tots were... well, they were a wet dream. They basically had the consistency of a twice baked potato with the bacon wrapped around it. To give you an idea of the size I'd say each tot was about 3 bites. They were not small at all.
The Duck Oil fries were also excellent. You tasted the duck more as an aftertaste if you just ate the fries by themselves. The more you ate, the more you tasted it. What also came with these fries was a house chipotle ketchup (so did the Tots). I'm not a fan for what normally passes for ketchup, Heinz, etc..., however this stuff was fantastic.
The wings were better than expected as well. I'm spoiled by the Dirty Buffalo's wings and they are my measuring stick for anyone else. These wings and drums were meaty and the sauce was both original and good. It was a BBQ type buffalo sauce that was on the sweet side.
While we sampled our app's we had a 3rd round. Â Our waiter was uh.. effective, but honestly lacking in personality and frankly I thought a little on the pushy side. He kept trying to get us to order entree's at each table visit. The place wasn't full by a long shot and we weren't holding up the table for someone that might leave a better tip.
Around this time the manager came up and rather bluntly said "I can't let you have those glasses, you can only have one each". She did however offer us another round on the house. While I guess that was an okay compensation, they should have been up front about that from the very beginning. I've been to many 'Steal the Pint' events around Ghent and this is the first time I've ever seen an establishment pull this kind of thing. Especially at the premium we were paying for the beers. They weren't discounted due to the event. We paid our bill, and called it an evening.
Pro's: The place looks great and you can't even tell it was Magnolia's Steak House once you're inside. The food was also excellent.
Con's: The passive aggressive waiter and the less than tactful manager.
Long story short what I'm saying is that I would definitely go here again for the food, but definitely not the presumptuous attitude. 2.5 stars.
This place has been hyped up. Â The drinks are overpriced and they hire young and inattentive bartenders who are more concerned about chatting up their friends and pretending to not see you than serving drinks and making tips. I will say when I first started going the atmosphere alone was worth the hassle of getting drinks through a busy crowd but now it seems like the employees are so sure the money will come to them some don't seem to care anymore. Â I understand it is a high volume place but it seems the service is at its worst on slower week day nights. Â I mean boobs are great and I'm glad your bartenders have them but I'd prefer a beer or even an acknowledgment that I might receive one in the future. Â The rules posted inside and the attitude of the employees have given it a pretentious edge which I find myself less and less likely to tolerate.
That being said the food is excellent and the table waiting service has always been on point there. Â It has an awesome patio which is the only place I'd suggest you'd eat on the weekend because it is so loud. The dining room is very attractive with an upscale atmosphere on a weeknight and great for a date. Â Just plan on dropping some cash in any case.
I went here during Tuesday Trivia Night with some friends (we won 2nd place and a gift card!). It made for a pretty fun dinner.
I had their buffalo chicken sandwich, which was good. Their sandwiches/burgers will set you back about $10 give or take a few bucks. Our waitress was friendly. The decor was nice and fit the mood they are trying to sell you. And everyone at my table liked their food. Again, it's not gourmet or anything. This place isn't one of my top 3 go-to places to take out-of-town visitors. But it is a good enough establishment for me to want to come back there again.
I like this place. Quite a bit. Â I've only ever gone for lunch and early dinner, so can't speak for the evening ambiance. Â The atmosphere is great, and they were actually playing UEFA cup games on the bar TV (a plus). Â The bacon wrapped tater tots are delicious, and so is their spicy ketchup (chipotle? I forget). Â Absolutely love their reuben burger, and their pancakes are the size of frisbees and served with delicious honey butter, syrup and preserves. Â Lots of beers on tap and in bottle, broad selection of bourbon/whiskey and knowledgeable bartenders every time I've gone. Â Give it a shot!
And for those of you with kids, they are quite friendly and accommodating.
I find myself puzzled by The Public House. Â The other venues under the same ownership (Bardo and Still in Portsmouth) have tremendous character and richness of decor on top of their great food so I was excited to try out their newest venture. Â However, the space itself just isn't my cup of tea.
The first two times I walked in, the noise at the bar was so loud the people I was with walked right out and requested we go somewhere. Â On my third visit I notice that there isn't much soft surface to absorb sound and the people in the bar area do seem to compensate by yelling over each other. Â However, if you can get past this area, the sound levels are much better inside and the food and bar selections are as good as their other delicious locations.
For me personally, although the foods and drinks are wonderful, the ambiance of Bardo and Still provide an experience that is so much more delightful that if I'm going to treat myself to an evening out, I'll choose one of those over The Public House. Â Or maybe I just need to check the Public House out at times when they'll be less crowded.
Ghent and Colley Avenue are staples that shouldn't be missed by any person spending quality time in Norfolk or its surrounding cities. It's a completely different atmosphere than downtown Norfolk or the Virginia Beach Town Center. While it seems that those two are for the upscale crowd, Ghent and Colley are laid back.
One of the newer stars in the Ghent area is the Public House. This gastropub replaced a well-known steak house that was a popular spot, but now that it's there, the Public House feels like it should have been there the whole time, with its laid back and inviting atmosphere and incredible menu. Of course, like all Ghent businesses, you will need to hover like a vulture for a parking spot after 5pm or so. They have a small lot, but it's typically filled up, especially on the weekend. The neighborhood parking nearby is usually the only reasonable course of action along Colley, anyway.
The key to the success of the Public House is its staggering array of beers and its incredible food. There are other venues that offer many variations of beer, but the Public House offers another alternative to dip into this burgeoning market of the micro-brews. They even offer tastings and special events to help the uninitiated jump in. They also offer a range of other drinks and cocktails. Some are a little daring and quirky, with hit or miss results, but they are a great option for the adventurous non-beer drinker.
The food here is eclectic and tasty. In my visits to this location, I have yet to be dissatisfied with any food choices and am jealous of those who can make it there for the lunch menu. Try the asparagus fries, the bacon-wrapped tater-tots, or the Irish nachos. It ain't diet friendly, but you should have known that before you stepped in there.
In terms of entertainment, they have one pool table for non-smokers set into its own room and another couple tables in the smoking bar area in the rear of the building. They also have a few televisions scattered throughout to ensure you keep up with your favorite team or competition. I am sure I saw a dartboard in the smoking bar, but I could easily be mistaken since this isn't an area I go to often.
All in all, it is a good venue with a good mix of activities, drinks, and food. Definitely a great place to meet up with your friends, especially if you can convince them to carpool.
I was pretty excited for this place to open up as we didn't exactly have a gastropub type of place here the area. Â Good food, good beer, and a hip environment was what i was looking for. Â This place barely hits two out of three. Â Good things first, the Public House itself is a nice bar period. Â It's clean, stylish, and modern. Â
As happy as I was that this place served not so common beers including local breweries, the problem is that our local breweries aren't all that great. Â Specifically, O'Connor's and the new Smart Mouth brewery are both featured here at the Public House. Â I personally don't think O'Connor's is that awesome and the two beers I had from Smart Mouth (their red ale and IPA) were just OK. Â
Where I think this place fails is the food. Â Their menu sounds enticing but every item I've ever ordered was pretty boring and bland. Â An item that stood out as sounding better than it tasted was the white collar mac and cheese. Â Simply, it was bland, boring, and flavorless. Â I've been a few other times but I can't remember what I ate (clear indication of me not enjoying the food).
I would be willing to give this place another try only because I know my friends like it and I just like the ambiance.
These kind of joints make coming back home to Norfolk for family and friend visiting OH SO WORTH IT.
First off, shout out to the wait staff here. You care, you have manner(ism)s, and you are always so sweet when I'm asking about the menu and buzzedly writing my number on the receipt for kicks.
Second off, I want to stuff everything on this menu into my mouth. I've tried the Blue Collar Mac and Cheese with Chicken Fingers (mmm), the fried pickles (don't like pickles, not sure why I tasted this), and the Waffle Battered Chicken with asparagus (it seriously made me drool). I would go bankrupt (happily) if I just had this as an option for food for like a month.
Third off, The decor and the ambience is super legit. The notations of "rules" on the menu are hilarious and the dark wood paneling and variety of seating options make each time I've gone there slightly different/unique.
We'll meet again, Public House. Oh, we will meet again.
The Public House has a great menu. Â I had their hamburger with blue cheese. Â Very flavorful and hot as well. Â I don't know why they charge $3 for fries substitution of potato chips. Â Guess I am stupid for doing it. Â Regardless, the food that night was really good. Â The beer selection is thorough with local beers. Â
It was an empty night. Â Service was prompt. Â Only a few people there. Â
I have been when it is packed. Â Then you can't hear yourself think and service was slow.
There is no place around quite like it. The public house is the perfect blend for me and my husband. Went there for date night and hubby. We shared the White Collar Mac & Cheese as an appetizer. Hubby had the Shepards Pie and I had the Spinach and Strawberry salad with goat cheese. They had a decent wine menu and I loved the local beer list! We found everything to be very well priced. We can't wait to go back!!
Review Source:Where cool kids go to make sure you know they are cool kids, while enjoying a cool beverage.
I've been to Public House about 4 times now and was trying to give them a chance before reviewing how I felt. It's honestly got a very interesting decor, and I think that I would enjoy spending money there if it were ever an overly satisfying experience. It's always busy, the service is usually very witty at the bar and very obligatory at a table. There's a separate smoking/drinking area which is really appreciate by the puffers on a cold evening. But I tend to find that my food is always 'fine' for it's reasonable price, it's the overpriced beverages that get me. I don't mind paying top dollar for a high-octane cocktail, but even their generic beers are noticeably $1 to $2 more than any bar on Colley.
Tried this place out on a Sunday evening. It was pretty quiet, but a surprisingly steady stream of people kept rolling through.
The menu had us cracking up: not only are there options for Left wing AND Right wing turkey legs (The Right wing turkey was $2 extra to subsidize the Left wing antics FTW), but there are also White Collar and Blue Collar mac and Cheese options. Love.
I got the Clams Linguini - everything I could ask for. The side salad was pretty great too, a really nice size. I got to try a bite of the Jumbo Shrimp Diablo, and while most places really skimp on spicey, this place was really unafraid to heap on the firey flavors (so be forewarned - it takes a lot to impress a Korean, mind you).
I'll probably be back!
Public house is definitely one of the more unique places on Colley, which is why I keep getting lured back in. I'll be honest, it's not the best place in the world (which is why I spent several minutes teetering between the 3 and 4 star buttons in contemplation), but it's good enough to recommend for a try.
The main theme here is kind of a North-west european hip, speakeasy, gastropub. Confusing? Maybe, but I think that's a good representation! They have several rooms (including a smelly smokers room in the back) and a bar at the front. It's usually fairly loud here, so not the best for a date, but a great place for relaxing after a long day of work/school. The menu is very clever (err, 'sassy'?), but the food is different than anything in the area. Everything I've had is pretty good to great. The better thing's I've tasted were the mac and cheese (with chicken tenders!!), shepherd's pie, and Fish and Chips. Something interesting is that most items come with a side of green apple slices (fries cost extra). This is definitely an awesome thing for the oversized public, but I like my french fries better and would rather not pay extra. That's just me though.
The service is usually great too! On several trips, my school had functions here and they were very liberal with the rules as far as what they were giving us discounts on. They're always attentive and willing to split even the most complicated checks (everybody with their own meals and some people sharing some things and other people sharing others...sorry, waiters!!).
The prices are definitely more than what I'm comfortable with to be a regular here (always around $13/14 for dinner and $5 for a beer), but it's not too insane. I would come much more often if everything was $2 cheaper (it makes a difference!!).
Bottom line: If you're looking for something different than the usual places in Norfolk or on Colley and don't mind a little loud-talking with your company, this is worth a try! The meals aren't the cheapest, but you'll generally get what you pay for and get a chance to try something you haven't tried before. Don't expect the best food you've ever had, just something different, and you'll be satisfied. Also they have many local and non-local beers on tap if you're into that!
The Pub! It's exactly just that. A Pub. Cool place to hang out and catch up with friends without the overbearing noise of music playing in the background. The place is spacious, but limited seating. There's a smoking game room area and a general bar/seating area for other patrons who don't suck on the dirty weeds.
Chill spot. Good Food. (Try their White Collar Mac and Cheese and their Fried Pickles for appetizer!) Good service and atmosphere. A little on the pricey side of life, but who cares about money.. oh wait, poor folks like me do. They apparently host trivia nights on Tues. but I've never been. I generally try to avoid "packed" and "busy" nights.
Also, there is a small parking lot on the side, for folks that dont "walk" everywhere around ghent. Plenty of street parking as well.
As the rating suggests, this place is A-OK. Our dining experience was uneven. A quick overview of the highs and lows:
The pros include:
-Free parking in their small private lot (a rarity in ghent) and ample street parking.
-Cozy yet upscale-looking decor. Ambiance was nice.
-Decent beer selection, including some local brews.
-Lots of vegetarian and vegan options.....which transitions me to the drawbacks:
Cons:
-At first, I was thrilled to see a vegan version of the chicken fried steak. But the add on an extra $2 to veganize it. I was a little skeptical, but thought it might be worth it and shelled out the extra money. Got the entree and it was a Boca burger!!! A Box of Bocas will run a couple bucks...and is substantially cheaper than real steak. I felt punished for being vegetarian because they saved money on my dish but charged me more.
- We ordered the tempura asparagus. Totally misleading. It was a doughy and fried, like fish n chips batter. It wasn't bad, but since I was expecting tempura, I was disappointed.
-No Happy Hour. (We went on a weeknight during the normal happy hour timeframe) If there is, it's a well hidden secret because it wasn't advertised, Â the wait staff didnt advise us of it, and I checked their website - no happy hour listed there either.
Overall, my visit was a little uneven. I'm going to go back and give it another chance, but as of right now, it just feels OK.
Decent wine menu. Looked like some nice beer selections too but did not try any of them. Vegan dinner item was super good. I do not remember the name of it but it was a salad with quinoa and fabulous! Service was a little iffy but the server seemed swamped.
Looking forward to heading back for more wine and that delicious salad!
I live real close to Public House, so it's a good spot to easily walk to, get drunk, and stumble back home from. Â Their tap selection is good and rotates pretty frequently and they've got a decent bottle selection as well.
As for food, this IS a gastropub--so expect small portions at appetizer prices. Â With that expectation in mind, you'll love the food. Â The bacon wrapped tater tots are big, but my favorite is probably the simple soft pretzel. Â If you're looking for something meal worthy, give the mac and cheese a shot (and ask them to add chicken tenders to it).
Come here on a Tuesday evening and enjoy the weekly trivia night as well (call and reserve your seats ahead of time if you're trying to play along because this place gets PACKED).
Meh.
I've been here twice. The first time I was a drunken mess pounding beers while Tebowing. The second time I was dressed up nice with some girlfriends for a girls night out. I was a little disappointed. The drinks are decent but overpriced. The food...well...I ordered the bacon wrapped tatertots as an appetizer. And it was sooo awesome. Especially the chipotle ketcup. However, none of the main courses sounded appealing at the time so I settled on the tenderloins wrapped in bacon. How can anything NOT be good if it's wrapped in bacon, right? Well, needless to say I was disappointed. The tenderloins AND bacon were tastless. Bland. And by the way, adding panko to a corn on the cobb doesn't make it better...just messy. The mashed potatoes were...well, mashed potatoes. That was disappointing. I'll think about giving you another chance, Public House, but not any time soon.
Back again. I think this is now my 4th or 5th time here - and indeed I come here each time I'm in the area (if it is any indication of my feelings toward this place, I came here directly from the airport).
I continue to be a fan - partly because they have a very good beer selection (lots on tap and many of which are local) and partly because of the food.
To the latter point, the pulled pork sandwich I had before is now gone. Oh well. I like to try different things each time anyway, so no biggie. Tonight I had the grilled romaine salad with added grilled shrimp. Um, YUMMM. First time I've had this kind of salad and it was excellent...savory dressing and the Parmesan crisp added some great texture. - though I can't imagine eating this item without a protein added (shrimp or chicken), so keep that in mind if you order it as a meal rather than a side.
I'll be back next time in town, once again.
Well, my first impression upon walking in with my group of ladies wasn't good, considering my reservation was nowhere to be found. Â However, they had room for me and nine other ladies quickly, so all was forgiven. Â
The service was good - our server's drink suggestions were delish. Â I split the asparagus fries with my mom for an app, and had the white collar mac n cheese (with some shrimp added in) for an entree. Â Very delicious, but I think I'll go with the blue collar mac n cheese next time, since the taste is more familiar and comforting (I tasted my friend's, haha). Â
I wouldn't make this place a regular haunt, since it is a bit pricey, but it's a great place to go for a treat.
Really like this place. Â My wife and I split an appetizer lunch here over a few beers. Â Really like it and would come back.
Waitstaff was knowledgeable, courteous, and attentive. Â They had a nice beer selection with some craft brews on tap I've never heard of (and thus need to try).
For food, we had the bacon wrapped tots, fried cheese, and panko crusted chicken tenders. Â All were extremely good. Â My one *minor* complaint is the tots were a bit unwieldily, being big enough you needed to cut them with silverware to get to reasonable sizes, yet that causes them to fall apart. Â Would have preferred something a bit more finger friendly.
First, the Bad:
- Expensive. I lived in DC for 12 years and grew accustomed to paying these kinds of prices. But in Norfolk? Come on.
- Staff is less-than-attentive. When you get their attention, they're perfectly willing to serve you, but I wouldn't say they're friendly enough to make this your normal watering hole. And with prices like this, you expect a little better service-- on the other hand, why should they, since they know you'll be tipping higher anyway, based on the bill?
So, the Good:
-The Food. It's pretty good, actually. Try either of the two mac and cheeses on the menu. I don't get all in a tizzy about the duck fat fries, but some people do.
-The Beer. Very good selection of Virginia beers. I stick with O'Connor's, because it's made less than 10 blocks away.
The So-so:
-Trivia night. The way they pack this place, you'd think it was the only trivia night in Norfolk. Don't go by what's on their website-- make reservations a few days in advance or you may show up with your group and leave empty-handed. It's a fun night of trivia if you do get a seat, though.
This review should really be 2.5 stars: minus two for the Bad, plus two for the Good, and half a star for the So-so. Bottom-line: you can do worse in Ghent, but you can also do better.
I joined up with a few fellow Yelpers at the Public House this past Tuesday for trivia night. Â First lesson learned is that on trivia night, you need reservations even if you plan on sitting at the bar. Â Our group did not have reservations but the management was able to squeeze us in, probably because everybody in our group was spending rather freely on food and drinks. Â If we had been a group of water sippers and appetizer sharers I think we would have been asked to leave when trivia started.
Their menu is striving to emulate the British Gastropub model, which emphasizes elevated to upscale comfort food items. Â My first choice of Bangers and Mash wasn't available (Grrrrr...I love a good plate of B&M!), so I then chose the short ribs. Â They were incredibly tender and delicious and at $12.99 I felt like I was stealing. Â Very good value for money. Â Between the richness of the meat and the mash, I was full after eating only half of it and I was hungry when I started. Â The only nibbles I had noshed on prior to my ribs being set in front of me were some of fellow Yelper Meredith's fried pickles with lemon aoili. Â These were also knock your socks off good. Â Every component made in house.
The bartender made a decent Dirty Sapphire Martini although the olives were just the run of the mill jarred variety. Â If they are looking for ways to improve their bar service, they could start with the olives. Â Just a suggestion. Â Also, since it was Fat Tuesday and I was a little nostalgic for New Orleans, I ordered a Sazerac. Â This is the iconic, powerhouse drink of the Big Easy and this barkeeps version was excellent. Â They even make their own bitters in house. Â Just be forewarned, you have to like Bourbon to like this drink. Â Meredith learned that lesson the hard way!
I only finished half of it since I did not want to flirt with a .08 BAC on the drive home. Â If I hadn't been driving I definitely would have ordered another.
We didn't place in the top three for trivia night but it was a fun time. Â I highly recommend it but be sure to make your reservations.
So I'm on this site one afternoon at the office looking around and I see a talk thread about some sort of unofficial Yelp event and see that a few locals have organized us so called Yelpers to get together for a trivia night at The Public House. Â What a fabulous idea! Â All I do is show up, match profile pictures with people in the restaurant I've never met before, make them my new friends, eat like a fat kid and test my knowledge about nonsense. Â AWESOME!!! Â
So that long winded explanation is what brought me to The Public House in the first place.
After successfully finding my fellow Yelpers I took a seat with them at the bar (there was only five of us last night -- three regulars, the FNG (me) and my girlfriend). Â The place was pretty damn empty. Â Literally. Â The floor was cleared as if a break dance competition was about to begin. Wait... I was in for one hell of a surprise. Â Within a few minutes the staff was quickly shuffling to get tables in the main area. Â Soon, trivia night was getting ready to begin. Â Within 15 minutes the place was packed! Â I would guess at least 80 people were packed vying to become the trivia champions for the night and walk home with a $50 gift card card to split eleventeen ways. Â I quickly learned that a reservation was required because of TPH's popularity for trivia night but the staff was kindly enough to let us keep our seats at the bar.
After getting settled in with a much needed beer I ordered dinner. What in the world??? Their roast pork tenderloin was off the freakkkkkking hook!!! Â The bartender recommended it and damn was that a good call. Â The entire tenderloin was juicy and tender all around --- a knife not even necessary. Â Daaaamn that ish was good. Â My girlfriend ordered a cheesecake for dessert. Â If you know me well there are three keys to my heart and one of those is cheesecake. Â This particular slice did the deed just as I wanted it to. Â It had great flavor and texture but I didn't feel that I was eating myself into a heart attack. As for the moon pie that my friends ordered, that too, was off the hook, but just a little too sweet. Â I started to feel my clog in my chest. A beer and a few shots helped wash my dinner down. :)
With a description of the food I only give this place 4 stars because the staff was just okay. No one was really open or closed but I expect a little more friendliness and personality given that I'm patronizing a business in the service industry.
It's obvious that this place is a local hang out. Lots of people showed up for trivia night (and they do so every Tuesday). Good food and strong drinks (what the hell did you order Steve?). I'll definitely come back and try different items on the menu.
As for trivia night, my new friends and I finished out of the top 3 but we had a blast. Thanks to you all for putting this together. I often forget about a great place to eat because I eat at so many different place. Because of last night's get together I'll be coming back to this local establishment.
First visit I think to myself, 'wow this place is great, I love it!'
Second visit was an after work function where I highly recommended the place and everyone took my advice, naturally  :)  The spirits were good and atmosphere was just right for the occasion
Third & Fourth visit...after the hype diminished, I realized it wasn't quite that amazing...prices are high and service wasn't super fast, but the server was really nice.
Looking back, although its not in my top 10 list of fav places, I think the key to my review is that I kept coming back. Â This is a good place to go if you have friends coming to town or want to go for drinks and a light meal, this is a great option. If you're really hungry and want a hearty meal, don't make this your first stop.
This review will probably be useless to 99.999% of you because I did not eat nor drink here. Â I sat at the bar for almost 3 hours, sipping on water and hanging out with friends for trivia night. Â
I am writing this to say that trivia night here is AWESOME. Â Trivia night in Hampton Roads is not an easy find, my friends. Â Tuesdays, 8-10, get there early because it gets crowded. Â The guy that emcees the event is super funny. Â The crowd is mostly young (good-looking folks here) and they get loud and rowdy, in a fun way. Â Trivia is 20 questions and they throw out pretty interesting questions on a wide variety of subjects. Â Good music in between questions too. Â Gift cards as prizes!
To the people who work there and frequent this place- Â why do you have to be such dicks?
I say this because this place oozes with a certain smugness. Â Smug because they're the new bar on the block. Â And it crosses the line from smugness to dickishness. Â You see it all over. Â The menu tries to be snarky, but without charm, snarky is just being a dick. Â You'll know what I'm talking about when you read one. Â The signs to the bathrooms are just overkill. Â There is a bit of snootiness from the bartender. Â Especially if you go to the smoking section/ pool area. Â I asked for a beer list. Â I was quickly informed that that they have a chalkboard in the main bar area. Â I said that I didn't know that, and was quickly rattled off what they served. Â And apparently they don't have a printed beer list. Â Dick.
It's been said before- the decor is really cold. Â And an incredible waste of space. Â Lots of empty space in the middle of both main rooms, forcing you to hug the walls or find a table off to the side like a mouse in a warehouse. Â The connecting area between the two is bizarre- Â a single pool table with no chairs in a small room; a corridor with stacked chairs leading to a fire exit (used to be the main entrance to the former Magnolia's). Â What killed me in the smoking area was the dim lit atmosphere (which is kinda cool) spoiled at least every ten minutes by the big door leading directly to the kitchen area. Â Your eyes adjust every time it opens- bright cold fluorescent lights spilling into this dim empty "pub" space.
The drinks are served well. Â Good beer temperature; strongish mixed drinks. Â Be prepared to spend at least a dollar more than you would at other places. Â Have yet to try the food- I trust what others have said here already.
I do applaud what they are trying to do with this place. Â I think that this is a great place for a pub. Â But seriously guys, lighten up. Â Smile a little more, print a freakin' beer list (or at least get a chalkboard for the other area), redo your menu attitude, put in a few more tables and chairs, and quit being such dicks.
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