Waaaaaaaay overpriced cover for this tiny, small-town venue. Yes, they get some quality musicians playing there but $20 at the door for EVERY one? I don't think so. The rude staff starts at the door and continues to the usually unmanned counter where you order. The food is ok, but I was too annoyed at the service and atmosphere for it to make it up to me. If you're going to manage a business in a sleepy little mountain town, don't ignore your customers and treat them as a disturbance. Have a little pride in your work, Purple Fiddle.
Review Source:Came here for a wedding after party. They have live music every weekend and it's well worth dropping in for. Tons of beers to choose from and a lot of tables. The back patio is also pretty awesome.
I can't comment on their food or the hostel part of the building but several folks I came with stayed and ate there and seemed to be pretty happy about the arrangement.
The Purple Fiddle is a banana Runt®. Never heard that idiom before? It's because I just invented it to describe the fleeting thoughts of arson and suicide I had while eating here.
Allow me to explain.
I was referred by a very nice old hippie I had run into over in Davis, WV. She spoke very highly of the pleasant atmosphere and great food and mentioned that they even had live music. I know now that she is a totally insane liar, because not a single one of those things is actually true.
There is nobody to greet you when you walk in. Instead what you have is a poorly scrawled sign hanging over the register declaring "ORDER HERE". Which is somewhat ironic (or is it coincidental?!) seeing as how this place was steeping in roiling chaos.
The walls are bedecked with the same clink and clutter that gathers dust in every one of these country store type of restaurants: old farm equipment and signs, jars, jars, and bigger jars. I think I even saw some license plates (GURL NO WAY).
I approached the counter just as no one and no thing had instructed me to do and began the ceremonial staring into the wall with crossed arms dance that this place apparently requires before administering customer service. But that's nothing new. I've been to my fair share of out-of-the-way mountain towns. Their customs may SEEM strange and unnecessary, but, still, I must respect them.
The ritual paid off though, because a mere 10 minutes later one of the stuffy ogres that lives in the walls sauntered out to take my order (much to his dismay). He vented through flared nostrils and stared at me like I was wasting his time. The hill witch can stew her own cauldron for a minute, Moose. Calm down. It took a minute, but his work allergy subsided long enough for him to crudely carve "bison" and "dog" on a piece of paper. He then tore the paper he wrote on in half, handed me a piece and said "Take this to the grill." But in not so many syllables.
It was about this time that someone had crawled up on stage and slung some diabolical contraption around their neck. Now, I know what a guitar is. I've seen them played and heard the sounds they make. The contraption this creature obnoxiously smacked and strummed at was not a guitar. It was a mechanism left over from the apocalypse that had razed the last civilization that inhabited this planet. With each note, images of rending flesh and hissing machines of death raced about my mind. I'd elaborate on the caterwauling that accompanied this infernal concerto, but there's nothing I could tell you that Merriam-Webster didn't already perfectly convey when it said, "as cats in rutting time".
And I understand that this changling marionette's little episode could not possibly have been controlled by the establishment itself. I mean, I personally bore witness how flippantly it disobeyed the laws of physics. But had they employed some form of screening process then maybe The Harvester of Souls and Children wouldn't have gleaned its quota of innocent spirits and began molting into its final form.
I'm sure the entire second it took me to get out the screen door to the patio cost me years of life, but you (and all those who attend my bedside in my final hours) have to believe me when I say I tried. I really did.
Compared to the cacophony of hell anything seems nice, but the patio I would say was a genuinely pleasant looking place to sit and chow. The grill that Shrek was referring to sat out of the way in the back. Helming the furnace was the gruffest, drunkest, West Virginia-est man who ever lived. With one hand on the spatula and the other clenched around a freshly opened beer he snarled and peered through each flip of every burger. A lit cigarette hung loosely in his "lips". A sleeve of unchecked ash hung from that.
I don't know what my involvement in all of this is stopping these folks from doing, but they seem wholly convinced that I am wrenching them from the most important and crucial of tasks in order to satisfy my unnecessary desire to eat food and pay them for it. Grill-boss snatched the scrap from my outstretched hand  and glossed over it. "Ten minutes".
Nearby was a freshly soil table and set of chairs. I grabbed one and sat down. The wait didn't seem that long, but this was probably because I had the rare opportunity of watching two drunk people handily discussing minutiae. The Cook had one of his buddies with him. They slammed PBR's and goaded one another's masculinity. He threw some food on the condiment table when he was done and bellowed "DOG AND BURGER!".
"Is the dog mine?" I asked.
"Um, yeah." he returned, as condescending as possible.
At this point I just wanted to eat and leave. I grabbed the hot dog and promptly bit into it.
"Little hot, ain't it?" he sarcastically muttered.
Oh, I'll be fine. Eating is the easy part.
I wont really comment on the food here, since that is not the main attraction. Â Hands down this is one of my favorite music venues, which is nestled in one of the most unique areas, in a somewhat hidden landscape.
Travelling here, particularly in the winter is like entering an oasis, if not sometimes treacherous! Â You drive through some of the most remote country, through a sleepy very small town, park your car and enter this place, with it's single paned windows that have probably never been changed in lord knows how many decades, and find several people nestled inside.
You'll find granola hippies, out of town urbanite hipsters, locals, ski bums and also families all here to see live music. Â The venue sounds great and while you probably aren't going to see a mainstream act here, I am always shocked at the quality of the muscians and acts I've seen perform on the stage.
Virtually every act wants to come and play here, because while it can be a crapshoot for turnout (although there are times I couldn't grab a seat), the ambience and vibe here just can't be duplicated. Â Heck you can grab a few of the games, and also big stuffed animals for kids (or the kid in you, I like the blue puffer fish!!!) while you are watching the show.
Prices are inexpensive, with maybe the exception of entry but I have no problem paying it cause I know this place needs to be supported. Â There's even a few locally brewed beer from Mountain Brewing here also which while ok, are certainly drinkable and a nice way to say thanks (all the brews are served in mason jars). Â The bottle list is also very solid with some great offerings.
Like they say come on down... this place is an absolute must if you are in the area. Â Get there early too if you can.
This venue is incredible. I went for the Hackensaw Boys concert this past weekend and the town was basically deserted due to the blizzard, aside from all the dirty hippies (which was amazing). "Hippies use the side door" and I did, with pride. I stayed in a room upstairs, which was most definitely haunted (bonus points). I patted their cat, almost ate some cookies I found in the kitchen, and generally made myself at home. I even woke up and realized (as I crept from my room looking horrid and hungover) I had stayed in the same place as THE HACKENSAW BOYS! I immediately regretted not putting on makeup and a push up bra. Everyone shares 2 bathrooms and I think I was the only girl there. Three guys were brushing their teeth around one sink and someone else dropped an ass bomb in the other bathroom. I felt right at home. The concert was freaking incredible (I got outrageously drunk and hugged everyone I came across, basically). I was wearing like 6 shirts because it was so cold, but I was as snug as a bug in a rug. Or a bug in 6 flannel shirts. I already want to go back. Also, if that banjofiddle player that stood in for them that night is reading this: Will you marry me?
Review Source:Comfortable, fun vibe, cool bands, great place to hang out and drink or eat. Â That this exists pretty much in the middle of nowhere just rules. Â I can't think of anything to dislike about this place. Â Well, they didn't give me a neck rub, but I won't take off any stars anyway. Â :D
Review Source:Stopped in here while vacationing with friends in nearby Canaan Valley, and I pretty much wanted to move in. The decor couldn't be more charming with patchwork quilts everywhere, wildflowers on every table, and a few church pews sitting around. The service was laid back and friendly. We enjoyed a few pitchers of beer and ice cream (I tried the maple pecan, which was delicious) and listened to a great singer songwriter. I would love to come back and hear a bigger band and try the food (venison burritos were the special of the day when we visited). It's not surprising that this place is popular with people passing through to go rafting/hiking/mountain biking/etc. I'm already looking for an excuse to visit again!
Review Source:The purple fiddle is a place that sticks out like a sore thumb from the unexciting backwoods west virginia landscape. That indeed turns out to be a good thing.
The people working here are as interesting as the mish mash of things that you can order. Coffee, Ice cream, microbrews and sandwiches dot the offerings, as well as random antique and gift items.
The ice cream I got, while good, was not fantastic, definitely suffering from texture issues due to either freezer burn or a poorly executed base freeze.
Worth it for just the people watching and atmosphere alone, and as noted otherwise, just about the only place to go for live music and nightlife in the area.
Apparently the also own the few houses next door as well, running it as a cheap hostel or rental property, which is good if you're looking to travel in the area for cheap.
I've heard a lot about The Purple Fiddle or it's performances but was curious how the food was. Â Atmosphere - great! Â I totally get why it's a great music venue. Â Lunch food was healthy, ho-hum. Â Wraps and sandwiches were somewhat creative and o.k. to good in taste. Â The side was just a bunch of corn chips chucked into a basket. Â Could have been better, could have been worse.
What brings it down from a 3 star to a 2 is the SERVICE. Â First of all, the cute black cat sitting on the table when I walked in didn't thrill me. Â To their credit the staff person scolded the cat as it slinked back down to the chair. Â I like cats but that didn't hit me well. Â When you are a gritty, granola, hippie-ish restaurant anyway, you have a perception issue right off the bat of uncleanliness and el gato on the table doesn't help to overcome those doubts. Â On a total side note, the bathrooms are WAY-COOL and clean! Â The toilet has one of those old brass levers you press and WHOOSH - it flushes
The service staff obligingly answered questions but only just enough to get by for I think they were reserving all their energy into the herculian task of getting the food out in a timely manner. Â So all 9 people in our party sat down and waited a LONG time for our sandwiches and wraps. Â Murphy's Law had it that the grumpy, grandpa patriarch of the family would receive his food last (about 20 minutes later) - far too long for how many were in the restaurant when we arrived (2). Â If I could brutally characterize the service it would be "aloof hippie" (which kind of seems like an oxymoron to me).
We stopped here while on vacation in the area and after many recommendations. Â This is a pretty cool place and wish we could have come here to see a band play. Â The food was excellent! Â I enjoyed a falafel wrap with a side of chips and a locally brewed ale. Â My wife had a tofu burger with pesto and ciabatta bread. Â No complains on either order. Â Everything was cooked perfectly and flavor was great. Â The menu was good and had a lot of vegetarian options. Â Good list of brews including some locals. Â
The only complaint would be the lack of (friendly) service. Â It wasn't unfriendly, but certainly not helpful. Â The counter man (because you need to order at the counter) did forget our appetizer, but I don't hold that against him. Â We got a free beers out of the deal anyway. Â
Good location, walking distance to a few different art galleries and other shops.
Okay. Â i"m going to admit, we didn't come here to see a band or performance. Â The place was cool and funky looking, and looked like a nice place to catch a band. Â I seem to be the odd one out here with only two stars, and maybe seeing someone play would have changed that. Â That being said, we went on a saturday for lunch and there were very few people there. Â Still, service took awhile (not just being a city snob here either). The wrap I ordered was okay. Â They have gluten free bread, which is great. Â My girlfriend got a roast beef sandwich and didn't really like it. Â The gluten free bread wasn't heated up, which makes it less tasty (not their fault, not everyone knows that you need to do that), but when she asked to get it heated up, the waitress said that the place doesn't have an oven. Â I have no idea how a place like that could operate without one, but she did say she could put it in the microwave. Â She did, and we finished our food. Â The soda was warm, but the beer selection looked great. Â Overall, not a great experience, but I would go back to see a show if i was in Thomas again.
Review Source:Funky little joint with good food and beer and great live music. We were there in the afternoon and had lunch and beers. Had a great act playing "coffeehouse" music. The hubs had a jalepeno turkey wrap and I had falafel wrap. Both were great. It was a little price for two wraps and two beers. And they charge $1.25 per transaction if you want to use a credit card. Great atmosphere, though.
Review Source:My husband & I were in town to XC ski. We went to The Purple Fiddle to hear a show & drink a few beers. That's exactly what we did & we were definitely not disappointed. We heard The Halftime String Band & loved them. The beer was equally as good- inexpensive local beer on tap. The Purple Fiddle is the kind of place you can go to in your ski clothes w/ a beanie on & not feel out of place. Everyone is friendly & laid back. And I thought it was cool that parents brought their kids & they were welcomed there. Even though people were drinking, no one was rowdy & parents felt comfortable to hang out w/ the whole family. There was even a cute little girl who danced the whole night w/ her mom in front of the stage. The decor is ecletic & they serve beer in mason jars. I kept wishing my Va Bch friends were there w/ us to enjoy a welcomed change of scenery from the "typical" bar scene in our hometown.
Review Source:We were happy to find the Purple Fiddle during a skiing weekend in nearby Davis. Â After a cold day outdoors, the friendly, relaxed atmosphere and hearty food hit the spot--we shared pork stew, potato soup, a falafel sandwich and a brownie. Â Eclectic decor, good service, interesting menu, and low prices to boot. Â Also, we loved the little deck of Trivial Pursuit cards at our table!
Review Source:Okay, okay--I was here over five years ago but I remember it so fondly. Â I have been thinking about going back ever since and I probably will this spring. Â It's about 3-4 hours from where I live, but there's so much to do and see in the area (Dolly Sods, Seneca Rocks, Canaan Valley, Mountain Made) that it's well worth the trip.
I want to go back and ride the bike trail (the Allegheny Highlands Trail) that's right across the street.
So anyway, last time I was here I was floored that there was good vegetarian food in West By-God Virginia, which I can say, since I lived there some years ago. Â Also, the music was quite astounding. Â I didn't expect to find the quality of music right there in the middle of nowhere. Â The night I was there, a band that styled its music after Django Reinhardt was playing. Â I'll never forget it. Â They were great. Â Unfortunately, I do forget their name.
Next time I make it out yonder, I reckon I'll stay at the Fiddler's Roost. Â I can't wait.
Downtown Thomas WV is trying hard to stay in business, and the Purple Fiddle  is a great reason to head into town.
They offer free wifi , espresso drinks, beer and ice cream.
In the evenings they occasionally have live music that gets the town of Thomas rocking. The new stage showcases the band nicely, and admission to shows is always reasonable.
Families are welcome at all times, and the kids will enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and a chance to see some live music.
Cool place. Live music most nights of the week (there usually is a cover, somewhere between $5-$10 - check their website for the price of your show). Good beer - they serve the beer from the brewery right up the street on tap. Low key atmosphere.
They have a hostel upstairs - you can stay for as cheap as $20/night. It has satellite TV and pool, as well, if you're into that. If you're more of an outdoors person, you're right in the middle of the mountains. Good biking and rafting nearby.
Though it's an hour from where I live, I often make the trek to the Purple Fiddle. The food is quite tasty and good for a lunch or light dinner. They have quite a few vegetarian options too. The reason I visit most often is for the live entertainment. With live shows every weekend & a broad range of folk, bluegrass, and other bands showing up and very reasonable cover charges I've found it hard to go wrong here.
Review Source:I've seen some great performances here and had several good meals. Â The beer selection is the best in WV and it's fun to just hang out during the afternoon, drinking and playing cards (decks are on just about every table and there are board games, too). Â The vibe is very inviting, eclectic, hippy-comfortable.
Review Source:In Thomas, which is a nice town by WV standards, one thing is clear: nightlife needed. Â At the Purple Fiddle, you can come, get coffee, check your e-mail free (wifi) in a comfortable, friendly "country" space. Â They have nightly free entertainment...a good place to hear bluegrass and country music among other things. Â Friendly staff, good feed and beer, and a signature "laid back" atmosphere. Â IF you're in the area, worth checking out.
Beautiful area too...which is worth checking out on its own...near Canaan Valley, skiing, biking, mountains and smiles! Â Get away and find yourself. Â Think Ben Fold's Jesusland w/o the cynicism.
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