Address: | 2622 Detroit St, Portsmouth, VA 23707, USA |
Phone: | +1 757-397-0900 |
Site: | stoverestaurant.com |
Rating: | 4.5 |
Working: | Closed Closed 5:30–8:30PM 5:30–8:30PM 5:30–8:30PM 5:30–8:30PM Closed |
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Tim C
0 Stars. My date and I are always looking for new and exciting places to enjoy great food, drink, and atmosphere. We stopped by The Stove at around closing time one evening and spoke to two employees while they were conversing on the sidewalk out front. When asked, the help was kind enough to convey the hours of operation and then suggested we "stop in any time, no reservation necessary"... A few nights ago while out on the town, my girlfriend and I decided to stop in for dinner. The façade looks very quaint from the curb and having to hunt for parking down the dark and narrow street gives a sort of exclusive, adventure-some feeling upon arrival. Unfortunately, the first thing I noticed after exiting my vehicle was a severely overgrown bush next to the sidewalk out front that nearly poked me in my eye. We decided to go ahead and venture in, after all, we are still in Portsmouth ("Port Norfolk"). Upon entry, we were immediately greeted by the Bartender with some notable hostility. He asked, rather condescendingly, "do you have a reservation?". When we responded with a "no sir", he came from around the bar and started walking us towards the door as if to shoo us out! He then insisted they had a full evening of reservations and would not be able to fit us in. Taking a quick look around @ ~6:30 pm on a Friday night, I noticed only one couple occupying one table in an otherwise empty house! Though we were appropriately dressed for a casual night of activities, being a spur of the moment decision to dine out, I believe we were shunned for showing up without wearing our "Sundays best". What is hospitality without the hospitality? I can honestly say that we will not return... even if everything were free. ...really a shame, I thought we had found a nice, local place to enjoy on special occasions.
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Linwood Old
Love this place! I have been following Chef Sydney Meers since the mid 90s @ the Dumbwaiter. Excellent wine list (try the black chicken) and his crab cakes when in season are the best on the East Coast! If you want to get away from the cookie cutter restaurants that have peppered our city, come to Stove. If you want to support a local chef that makes EVERYTHING in house (crackers, ham, bread, desserts, stocks....) Then this is your place. If you want a place that is truly sustainable and utilizing local and regional ingredients ( in some cases grown and harvested less than 100 feet from the front door ( yes thats Syds garden across the street), then this is the place for you. What are you waiting for? Reserve yourself a table girl!
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Hilda Vermillion
We were a party of 5 with reservations celebrating a birthday. We each ordered different entrees, but had the same experience. The food was under cooked, I mean really under cooked. The bass, catfish and even the pork sausage were extremely rare. The service was slow and not especially friendly, but fine. The only great course was the desert course. And be warned: if you have any type of food allergy, the pretentious staff will NOT accomodate you, even if it simply means leaving off a topping or something. They also will NOT cook your dish more if you ask them to.
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A Private User
I love this restaurant. It is a hidden gem in a seedy neighborhood. Is everything perfect no. The last time I went I had an aged strip and it was still cold. The first time I went had scallops and thought I could do better, but they were still good. However, the cheese platters and wines are great. The food overall is creative and well done. I recommend the pork platter. The atmosphere is the best part of this place. It is quirky and artistic. If you are a hipster or like the avant-garde you will find a great little spot in the stove.
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Audra Mitchell
Absolute perfection! I have always had great food and great experiences at Stove. Since the chef, Sydney Meers, became a James Beard Foundation semifinalist recently, it is wise to make a reservation for dinner - most nights there are few tables available (note: if you show up at 6:30 without a reservation, you may not get seated due to 7:00 reservations). Dont miss the house-made pimento cheese (not your Grandmas pimento cheese) and make sure that you save room for dessert - also made in-house!
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Jack Morris
Sydney Meets is a Tidewater culinary staple, and has pretty much gone everywhere with Neo-Southern cusine in the past few decades. If theres a reason Southern has become so in-vouge around the area, chefs like this are a big part of the reason, consistently producing menus of the best the South has to offer, complete with insanely good imprints of their own. Just come try the Pork-o-rama, and make your own decision. Youll be back for all his other offerings in short order.
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John Aughenbaugh
Looking for gourmet food without the stuffy feeling of black tie fine dining? I loved this place for its amazing dishes and superb quality. Perhaps the best part is the ecclectic decor and funky art directly out of the studio of owner and chef, Syd. The restaurant really is the extension of his studio, from the food on your plate to the murals and sculpture on the walls. Check it out, and dont forget to arrive early to make your reservation!
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Juan Lael
Cozy little restaurant back in the cut of Portsmouth. It took us a few minutes to get there from Norfolk, but when we arrived we were relieved and pleased. The service was OUTSTANDING! The wine and bar were excellent, we recommend the cheese platter to start. We had our appetizers, entree and drinks in under an hour no rush no muss. Very homey and pleasant experience overall! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!
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Danny Fincham
I think is one of the best restaurant I have been to on a long time. The service was excellent. I enjoyed a cheese platter with chips and it was wonderful. The bread is out of this world, real home baked and butter was soft and tasty. I ordered the shrimp and grits, OMG they were so good and filling, I would recommend this place to anyone who wants a great dinner in a cozy atmosphere.
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sandra martin
“Tapis with booze” The Still is a quaint - slightly underground tapis bar that has an extensive booze list. The food is - as you expect - small of quantity, pricey but tasty. The offerings of dozens of different single malt Scotch and Irish whiskys is heart warming. It is not a tequila bar. The atmosphere is surprisingly upscale for Hampton Roads -...
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catherine taylor
As always, the food was excellent, as was the service. I enjoyed the Award Winning Crab Soup followed by a delicious Tortellini Wrap. Dessert was a wonderful Peanut Butter/Chocolate Gelato. My server, Dave, was genuinely pleasant, hospitable, and very efficient, The whole experience reminded me that I need to go back more often. Thank you, Manninos!
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A Private User
Stove is an eclecticly decorated little place. The atmosphere is awesome and that is about all... The food was average and served in small portions i.e. 4 medium scallops in the scallop dish. The strip steak was advertised as aged beef, but was not tender and had a decent amount of tough sinue in it. Overpriced, and overrated.
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FilmTraveler Matt
The best among many great restaurants in the region. Everything from the bread to the cheese is handmade; some of the vegetables come from the chefs own garden; the meats are always perfect; the dishes are all quirky and delicious and charming and reflect the soul and character of the man who created them.