Maude & the Bear

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 husband and I came to Staunton for a little getaway, and he surprised me by booking the Chef’s Table experience at Maude & The Bear — such a special choice. We enjoyed 16 beautifully curated tastings with wine pairings, and every dish was incredibly thoughtful, creative, and expertly prepared. The flavors were impressive from start to finish, and the pairings elevated each course perfectly. We felt truly well looked after all evening. The staff were welcoming, attentive, and always happy to answer questions, which made the experience even more enjoyable. We had a wonderful time and can’t wait to return with friends. Absolutely worth every penny. Thank you, Kirsty & James

We came here to celebrate a birthday as well as our recent engagement and had been looking forward to the tasting menu for weeks. My partner and I are big fans of tasting menus and love to try food as the chef intended. Unfortunately this tasting menu was very disappointing. Some of the dishes were very poor, there was no balance of flavor, and what would be considered the main course was based on scrapple which is typically not something that people of recent generations enjoy. There was only one course with meat base which is not typical of any other tasting menus we have tasted outside of vegan restaurants which this is not. The tzimmes which is typically a dish I love was really sour, didn’t have any texture, and was very hard to palate. Other dishes like the banana bread was paired with a piece of blue cheese larger than the banana bread itself. As for the service, the waitress struggled to remember all of the dishes and wines, though she tried it was not what you expect with a tasting menu. She also didn’t know how to properly eat many of the dishes which led us to not know how to consume them. For example, a thinly sliced then rolled up sweet potato the size of a silver dollar, served with a fork and spoon which couldn’t cut through the dish but also the dish was far to large to eat on one bite. It felt generally disjointed and overall was a disappointing meal for over 700$. Unfortunately I would not recommend this restaurant and wished that someone had left a similar reflective review so we could have chosen another restaurant to celebrate at.

We stayed one night at Maude and the Bear in addition to enjoying the amazing 7-course tasting menu for dinner on the evening of our stay, followed by their complimentary multi-course brunch for inn guests the next morning. Our experience was impeccable from start to finish. Ian and his wife Leslie are such lovely, down to earth people and what they're doing at Maude and the Bear is truly something special. The space is absolutely gorgeous and the accommodations were luxuriously perfect with no detail spared. It was clear that a lot of thought and creativity had gone into each amenity, just as Ian provides exceptionally creative, delicious, and complex dishes in the restaurant. We were very impressed with the quality and uniqueness of each dish we tried which highlighted fresh, local flavors that all combined perfectly for an unforgettable experience. They were also great about accommodating my food restrictions (gluten). We had such a wonderful time and will definitely be back. If you have an opportunity to stay on site in addition to enjoying a meal, we highly recommend that you do. This place is not to be missed!

Dinner at Maude and the Bear was a culinary experience unmatched in Virginia. We enjoyed the chef’s table. Chef Ian and team put on a gastronomical performance. It surpassed several Michelin star restaurants that we have enjoyed in the USA and Europe. The creativity and self sourcing was incredible. The coordination of the entire staff was like watching passionate practitioners doing what they love We look forward to returning and experiencing the palate stimulation and taste fantasia The only thing that would have improved the evening was to have stayed at the inn!!

Visited this past weekend & it exceeded all the "hype"! First off, the town of Staunton I feel is the nicest in VA! Main street is long & filled with cutest unique shops & cafes, the area reeks of history & its hilly with beautiful architectural buildings! Our brunch at Maude & the bear was so wonderful! The restored Montgomery Kit home was cozy, warm & simply decorated...Jason our server was attentive & informative...all staff were friendly & they all took care of the guests collectively which was heart warming! Each bite was amazing! Came for hubby 's birthday & we will be back for mine! Leslie the chef's wife is the sweetest person...I feel like she is my old friend from high school! Anyway...get out, enjoy the fall foliage & take a visit to Maude and the bear in beautiful Staunton VA!!!

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 were bold and beautifully balanced, with each course a delightful surprise. The staff was so friendly, making the experience even more enjoyable. It’s a hidden gem we’re already planning to visit again soon!

Tremendous experience. We did the Kitchen Table seating for a birthday celebration and we both agreed it was one of, if not the best dining experience we've ever had - and we have been to 1, 2, 3 Michelin Star restaurants all over the world. The food was outstanding. Every single dish was an adventure for our tastebuds. Service was excellent. Despite both front and back of house staff being incredibly busy, they answered all our questions and engaged in light conversation. Every staff member was so pleasant. The environment was easy going and felt like you were at the kitchen table in your grandma's house - in the best possible way - it wasn't stuffy, or exclusionary the way a lot of high performing restaurants can be. We were so impressed with every aspect. Hope to dine there again in the future, it is worth the drive from DC!

Loved! Loved! Loved it! Yes, it is worth all the attention it is getting after it has been written up in the NY Times! I looked everywhere to nominate Maude & the Bear for a Michelin Star restaurant to no avail. Maude & the Bear is located near downtown Staunton, in a Montgomery Ward kit house. The house was absolutely beautiful. Old mixed with new. A smart, upscale setting with hand painted murals on the walls. The staff were dressed very contemporary with jeans and white linen shirts and blouses buttoned to the top. They attended to our every need. When we arrived we were asked if we prefer still or sparkling water for the table. We chose sparkling. What a treat! And of course, we were treated with a plate of three different welcome appetizers. We had the 7 course meal and chose to have a couple of glasses of wine to pair with our meal. My two favorite courses were the Potato & Onion Ravioli, Sea Urchin, Aji Dolce and the main course of Pork, Rutabaga, and Peanuts. All of Chef Ian's courses blended in perfect harmony. The plating and culinary art expression were fabulous! I highly recommend Maude & the Bear. Book your table early or you will be disappointed!

Recently read it was top 10 in NYT and we happened to be passing by for a weekend trip and was able to make a reservation several days in advance. Fix prix lunch menu and some good options. We added some extra donuts and coffee and enjoyed the small chef kitchen/restaurant style and great friendly service.

Sat at the bar for the four course tasting menu since all the reservations were taken. Small bar with four seats, and we were the only two that stayed at the bar for our time there. This old house converted into a restaurant is nice but the lighting is way too bright.....like cafeteria bright. The food was meh....really nothing outstanding, or special. The drinks were really the best part of the meal. Just not a good value, or very exciting.

I will say this place is overrated. It is fine dining and the dishes are well composed, But, i left a 7 course tasting menu hungry. It's super pricey and the portions were insanely small for what you're getting. I mean, supposedly one of mains was short ribs, i swear to god​, It was mostly sauce with maybe an ounce of meat, maybe. It was $500 with wine and not worth it at all.

Not Good. Servers repeatedly forgot basic services. Took 20 minutes on average between courses. Had some sort of server-per-dish disaster and then kept blaming each other for the other servers gaffs. Basics basics basics. Our table was next to the restroom so I had a lovely experience every time someone opened the restroom door. Food looked pretty but overall lacked flavor and originality. At the end of the night servers simply seemed to forget we were even there and were spraying down the tables around us, couldn't wait to get out of there. James Beard must be slipping as this is not even the best restaurant in Staunton and for the sky-high prices... We had exponentially better service and food at The Chop House and Zynodoa.

Maude and the Bear was such a divine experience! My husband and I decided to treat ourselves for a night out. The restaurant was super accommodating with my dietary requirements (I do not eat red meat or pork). They were able to adjust dishes which I really appreciated. Our server was attentive and made great recommendations. My husband did the wine pairing with the 7 course meal and each wine was paired beautifully. The only complaint was they forgot one of my courses and by the time I received it, it was dessert time so the order got a bit mixed up. But it didn't take away from the lovely atmosphere and the hard work the staff clearly put forth. Overall, portions are that of fine dining and come with a price tag. But the experience was wonderful.

Phenom service - PHENOMMMM food and presentation. Was passing through the area on a cross country road trip - seems like you usually need a reservation but they fit me in as a solo person during the last seating (thank youuuuu) from start to finish everything exceeded expectations. Cocktails to dessert was so impressed every step of the way. If you're in the area go go go!

Maude & the Bear is a new restaurant and inn in the old Montgomery Ward kit house. They offer seasonal tasting menus on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays with two seatings, in which you can choose from a 4- or a 7-course, or the Kitchen Table (in which there is only one seating per night). We went for the Kitchen Table, in which we tried: +Cahwanmushi, Hackelback Sturgeon +Silky Snapper, Turmeric, Citrus +Radish, Snap Peas, Lardo, Ramps +Carolina Shrimp Lahmacun +Asparagus, Crab, Cured Egg Yolk +Snapper Kuma, Spruce Chili Crunch +Sable, Broccolini, Delicious Sauce +Foie Gras, Brioche, Rhubarb +Pheasant Pierogi, Chanterelles, Spring Onions +American Wagyu, Burnt Onion +Smoked Caramel, Chocolate Strawberry An optional wine pairing available. There's also a bar/lounge area that has an a la carte menu in addition to the restaurant's regular tasting menu, but it's a first-come, first-serve basis. The restaurant is fresh, modern, and clean, and gives a cute intimate vibe in which is great for dates or small get-togethers. Staff were friendly. I'd be curious to see what their upcoming seasonal menu looks like. +tasting menus available +optional wine pairing +friendly service

A delightful experience from beginning to end . . . only suggestion would be to include some sound absorbing/deadening materials in the dining rooms to keep things a bit quieter. All of the staff were extremely warm, welcoming and professional without being at all stuffy. We went with the four course menu and added the cheese course. We also got an amuse bouche to start the meal and a mignardise at the end. All of the food was very good. We particularly liked the salad of farro and green chick peas and the copa with carrots and celery root puree but everything was terrific. We didn't opt for the wine parings but rather had a couple of wines by the glass. While the selection wasn't extensive, there were a number of excellent choices. We will definitely be back.

This restaurant has it all. The waitress was very knowledgeable of all the servings how they were prepared and the ingredients. We split a wine pairing, and it was plenty for both of us. The food started off great and continued at a high level. No need to tell you my recommendations has the menu constantly changes. Recommend this restaurant for all special occasions.

Highly creative and unique! Although very expensive it was an amazing indulgent evening of food and wine pairing. Sweet historical property with minimal parking but abundant street parking. The only downside was the noise.

We were excited to try Ian's new restaurant for Mother's Day. Service was great. Options for the menu were varied to cater to our meat and pescatarian tastes. Every course was INCREDIBLE! They use local produce and meat from the community farmers. Individual flowers on table were touching. Decor was tasteful and charming. It's a higher end restaurant, worth the price.

The modern world is filled with formulas and stock recipes and warmed over mediocrity that we pass off as comfort. And it changes the expectations that we have for our lives. Honestly, this restaurant is expensive. It is not the kind of place that we at least can afford to enjoy every single week or every single month of the year. For us, I'm sure, it will always be the kind of place that we enjoy only on special occasions. But it will always be a place that is worth it. Everything there, from the first course to the last, from the creativity of the Chefs and the bartender to the sincerity of the staff was quite simply ... beautiful. Which is why Maude and the Bear stands apart. So rare in our modern, risk-averse world and so easily missed, it is an artistic experience of the highest order and one that you owe it to yourself to try. Talk to the staff, get to know them a little, and respectfully ask any question that you like. If you don't you will never know the depth of the experience that you missed but if you do, you will leave that place immeasurably richer than before you first walked through their door.

On the top of my top 10 meals ever. So many tasteful and delicious things on the tasting menu. Friendly staff and very knowledgeable with everything served on the tasting menu. Such a lovely setting in a house to make it feel so cosy and inviting. A must try for anybody in the area.

Last night was one of the best restaurant meal experiences I have ever had! Incredible service and incredible food. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!