“ We were lucky enough to have the opportunity to celebrate my husband’s birthday at the Chef’s Table here. The food was absolutely incredible, the environment homey, and the conversation lively throughout the whole 3+ hour experience. Thank you to everyone at Maude & the Bear and we hope to be back again! ”

“ Memorable 4 course tasting dinner! Everything was delicious, unique and beautifully prepared. Really felt the attention to detail and care that went into the entire meal. The whippoorwill peas were amazing as was the sunchoke dish! ”

“ As soon as I read about Maude and the Bear, I told my husband we should celebrate our anniversary four months early - which we did, this past Friday and Saturday. The renovations to this 1920s house are meticulous. We stayed in a room named The Crow and the Pitcher. It is a gorgeous, very clean suite with every amenity imaginable: comfortable bed, stacks of fresh towels, champagne on ice, cookies...the staff is friendly and interactive, including the chef. Since his wife is a potter, her bowls and vases appear on the tables. Paintings by a local artist, many of local vistas, enhance the decor, which is modern but also warm and personal. We chose the four-course dinner. The dishes were artistically arranged using fresh local ingredients. What stood out to me was the lamb. For breakfast, overnight guests are served a three course meal. It began with fresh fruit over a base of a sour cream mixture and topped with nuggets of house-made granola. The second course was a blintz filled with a delectable ricotta mixture and topped with small bitter orange slices. The final course was a matzo/scrambled egg garnished with fresh dill and tiny white garlic flowers. I am still thinking about it! Keep your eyes pealed when finding the inn - the sign is brown and does not stand out. ”

“ I was part of a party of two that came for Sunday brunch. Overall, I would describe the food as an A minus, which is slightly worse than I'd like at the price, but still an excellent and out-of-the-ordinary experience. The service was wonderful; the waiters were friendly, personable, and attentive. Between the two of us, we had: First course: - Oysters (add-on) - Sweet potato donut (add-on) - Summer Squash Second course: - Grits with guinea hen and mushroom Third course: - Spanish tortilla - Burger My favorite item was the sweet potato donut, but the grits were also very, very good, and I was told the oyster was delicious. I'm not a squash person, so I can't quite rate it fairly, but the sauce and toppings were excellent. We both felt that the third course was slightly underwhelming. I enjoyed the burger, but it was slightly too salty, and not all of the flavors of the toppings came through. The fries, though, were magnificent. The review I got of the spanish tortilla was that it was good, but not great, because the taste of the roe didn't come through. As a caveat, it was topped with peppers that were too spicy for him, so he didn't eat them - the dish might have been better if enjoyed in full. ”

“ Excellent restaurant, among some of the best I've eaten at. Lovingly decorated (the drinking/smoking monkeys wallpaper in the bathroom is hilarious), intimate and clean. Beautiful tableware. Waitstaff were friendly and personable and attentive. Food was delicious and lovingly crafted. The amuse bouches were fantastic, a totally different taste in every one. Several of the courses featured fresh, delicious vegetables. The final short rib course with cabbage rolls was wonderful. For cocktails there is a take on a G&T with a bit of dill clipped to edge of the glass. So good. Wine list is also excellent. Only drawbacks: The restaurant is on a very busy road and its parking lot in front of the building is tiny, and full when we went. There is ample street parking across the street but no crosswalks, so you'll have to run a gauntlet to get to your dinner. Price point is too high, but given inflation and the cost of the quality of their ingredients -- plus being in tiny Staunton -- it makes sense. Many of the items listed on the menu are add-ons for an additional charge. We did the four course dinner for two ($90 each), added a caviar on latke dish ($100), and had one cocktail and two glasses of wine. With tip it was close to $400. Then again, the Inn at Little Washington is $388 per person (not including drinks) -- but the meal there is absolutely epic. ”

“ 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! ”