Mrs. Rowe's Restaurant and Bakery

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1,136 reviews

#13 of 103 Restaurants in Staunton$$ - $$$, American, Vegetarian friendly

+1 540-886-1833+ Add website

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Hours

Sun

7:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Mon

7:00 AM - 8:00 PM

Tue

7:00 AM - 8:00 PM

Wed

7:00 AM - 8:00 PM

Thu

7:00 AM - 8:00 PM

Fri

7:00 AM - 8:00 PM

Sat

7:00 AM - 8:00 PM

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What is Travelers’ Choice?

Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Ratings and reviews

4.0

1,136 reviews

#13 of 103 Restaurants in Staunton

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Food and ambience

Local cuisine, American, Vegetarian friendly

“Stopped by for breakfast, and ordered two eggs, breakfast potatoes, bacon, an...”

“Homemade biscuits and rye toast included homemade apple butter.”

“They also rave about their pies cooked fresh ..they have 4 bakery cases but o...”

“The pies are fantastic!! Thank you!”

Location and contact

74 Rowe Rd Exit 222 off I-81, Staunton, VA 24401-6701

+1 540-886-1833

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Does this restaurant offer highchairs for toddlers?

Yes

Unsure

Details

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PRICE RANGE

$0.00 – $16.00

CUISINES

American

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

FEATURES

Takeout, Private Dining, Seating, Parking Available, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service

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4.0

1,136 reviews

Excellent

409

Very good

350

Average

211

Poor

Terrible

Big K, Little Jun

60 contributions

Used to be a great place with

Aug 2020 • none

Used to be a great place with amazing food. Somehow, overtime, it’s not the same. This past Saturday at Noon, it was as empty as a Monday-morning church. No background noise, no radio or music of any kind. The only noise in the air was the sound of sticky tennis shoes on the floor. Two other couples were there and everyone was as quiet as a mouse; it was immensely awkward. Our waitress, Lorrie, was less than stellar. We told her we wanted the soup special that was clearly posted on the big sign for specials of the day as you enter the lobby. Lorrie said they didn’t have soup today. In a pleasant way, we were like oh, that’s disappointing. Lorrie’s response was, “well, we don’t have it today, OK.” As if she needed us to hurry and order. The portions were minimal, and the cornbread dressing was dark and hard as a rock. The spoon bread tasted like jiffy mix mixed with water. It was a disappointingly poor experience compared to years passed. Lastly, The lunch specials were roughly $11-$12, but beginning at 4 PM, the same meals were $5.95. Go figure? Tighten up, Rowe’s.

Written August 9, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Teresa P

24 contributions

Things are clearly not the same

Aug 2020 • none

We stopped by Mrs. Rowes this past Saturday for a late lunch (around 3) while in the area. The restaurant was mostly empty like the previous reviewer stated which I thought perhaps was due to less people eating out during Covid or maybe the rainy weather. However, I am thinking it might be because Mrs. Rowes isnt the same as it once was in the past. My husband and I both wanted the turkey and dressing but they were out of dressing so we decided on the grilled hamburger steak which we thought was very good but the spoon bread was just average. A family of five came in just after we were served and they wanted mashed potatoes with their meals and they were out of mashed potatoes too so I guess we lucked out and got the last of those. Then I overheard the waitress tell them they were out of something else they wanted. I dont understand how the restaurant is out of all the staple foods by 3:30 in the afternoon. The previous reviewer visited on the same day at noon and said the place was empty so its not like they had a big lunch crowd and ran out of everything. I know things aren't the same since Covid but the usual array of delicious desserts in the case was almost empty and looked sad. It seems Mrs. Rowes is running on fumes and I would hate to see it be another casualty of these difficult times but they better step up their game or they will be. Nobody from the waitstaff to the checkout employee seemed happy to be there. Really sad to see this institution go down.

Written August 17, 2020

tedmc_12

Richmond187 contributions

Average breakfast

Jan 2020 • none

I have rated this restaurant for dinner before, but this is my first breakfast review, a Sunday morning. It started out with a carafe of coffee, like Howard Johnson's used to. This is a plus, but the coffee was weak I'm afraid. It was made better by the freeze dried coffee I carry anymore. My corned beef hash was burned so it was returned and I was not charged. My wife's English muffin with egg, bacon and cheese was ok. The baked apples were good. The pluses and minuses made for an average meal. Will return because we want some pastries and cookies to take home.

Written January 19, 2020

Jen G

1 contribution

Probably won't return

Feb 2020 • none

If you want an average diner experience with mediocre food, then this is the place for you. After a three hour drive, I was really looking forward to a good southern dinner and some pie; I purposely chose Mrs. Rowe's over a nearby Cracker Barrel. I ordered the turkey plate with dressing and gravy and my daughter ordered the chicken fried steak. I started getting nervous when I overheard several tables complaining that they were waiting 30 plus minutes for their food. For some reason, our food came out relatively quickly. Yay for that, but my dish had clearly sat for a while because it had a thick layer of congealed gravy over it. The portion size was relatively small and there was nothing remarkable about it. My daughter's chicken fried steak looked like it came frozen from Costco's and was reheated and plopped on her plate. Her side of mac and cheese sat in a bowl of soupy yellow liquid and her fries tasted exactly like the fries at Arby's (must get them from the same supplier). I was expecting these fabulous pies to redeem the experience but I was disappointed again. We had pecan and lemon meringue and they tasted like generic diner pies, very unremarkable. I don't think the crust was handmade. It sounds like this place was once a good place to eat but it's obviously gone down hill as of late. Do yourself a favor and go to Cracker Barrel!

Written February 16, 2020

cindystate

North Carolina Coast44 contributions

Burnt pancakes, poor service, tiny menu.

Oct 2020 • none

I hate giving this place a bad review, I feel like I'm slapping my grandma. But our breakfast was ruined and no one really cared, so here I go. First, we waited FOREVER to get our drink order. The waitress seemed very overwhelmed and I guess we paid the price for that. It took forever to get our food and my daughter's pancakes were burnt, very obviously burnt. I said something to the waitress fully expecting her to get her a new order but she only said: "Well they are so thick they have to cook it so long to make sure they are done". Really? These were so badly burned they were black. I would not have served them in my own kitchen much less a restaurant. I really wish I would have taken a picture, it was shocking to us. Anyway, my daughter was sad and I swapped my breakfast with her and I ate around the burned areas as best I could. We had to ask twice for syrup and chase her down for refills too. We should have gone to Cracker Barrel but wanted to give a local place a try during our travels.

Written October 21, 2020

Norjean

Whitesboro143 contributions

Average home cooked food

Mar 2020 • couples

Restaurant is next door to Best Western. Even though we got there minutes before closing, they served us. Restaurant has quite a reputation for cooking and desserts. We both had liver and onions w/ 2 sides for $8.95 each plus 1 free slice of pie and 10% discount. Good price Food was fine, nothing superior, and quite ample. Might try them again.

Written March 1, 2020

J J

1 contribution

VERY dissappointing

Oct 2021 • none

We stopped in Mrs Rowe's restaurant by accident Sunday afternoon and really wished we hadn't. As we were greeted at the door we noticed a note that rambled about not having help and please be patient with what staff there was. OK, so that is the new norm we expected a bit of a wait we were not in a hurry so we decided to wait. There were four of us and we were seated in about 20 minutes and thought nothing of it. From this point forward things are not too good. Server was ridiculous with her actions and absent mindfulness. Mask worn by her was pointless, not covering her nose with her touching it repeatedly. We painfully placed our order as most items requested were "out". Once the order arrived (40 minutes, it was abysmal. First off once it was dropped off there was no flatware on the table and of course no server to be found. Macaroni and cheese (two orders) was a small dish that had some sort of ziti type pasta floating in butter with a gob of shredded cheese on top of it. Turkey and dressing was cold with a dab of something (gravy ?) on top, nothing on the mashed potatoes. Fried chicken dinner was tepid at best and set up with grease. Fries were served in a bowl and were cold and lifeless. Reuben sandwich (ordered AND noted on the receipt should they check) for wheat bread was served on rye bread. Both of our dinner orders were noted NO BREAD on the slip ?? We did see dinners are served with bread and were never asked or given a choice. As painful as that (food) was, we decided to cut our losses and order FAMOUS pie hoping to end on a high note. Two of us ordered blackberry, one ordered lemon and one ordered peanut.butter. A refill of coffee was requested along with an additional order for coffee. Dinner plates were not cleared of course. Eventually three slices of pie were brought out to the table and plopped down with the declaration of "there is no lemon pie, coffee has been dumped and the pots have been cleaned". NO offer for replacement pie, and again NO forks to eat pie with. Check was delivered for $68 and change. I paid and we left. I do know that we were not the only unfortunate patrons yesterday afternoon and hope that maybe someone else will comment as well.

Written November 1, 2021

Sedoski's Roam

14 contributions

Good, fresh, homemade meal

Mar 2020 • family

We stopped for lunch on our way home. It is a great diner. The adult portions were appropriate. The kids portions were generous! We tried the Ruben and Collard greens. They were fantastic. My husband probably would have eaten 3 servings of them! We also had the crab cake (I got it without the bun) and the marinated cucumber and onion salad. The salad was very fresh and the crab cake was good and meaty. The kids had grilled cheese and fruit and mac and cheese and fruit. The fruit portion was very generous and fresh. The Mac and cheese is more like baked pasta and cheese and not so much a creamy cheese sauce on pasta but the kids liked it. My oldest liked the grilled cheese. We also had to try desserts. The cream puff had lots of filling and the pastry was well prepared. The chocolate pie was very rich. My kiddo didnt love it but my husband liked it. The blueberry cobbler was ok. My youngest loved the chocolate chunk cookie. The staff is sweet but not chatty. The atmosphere was quiet. It is a easy stop off the interstate. We always love finding great local places!

Written March 1, 2020

Demottsquad

Chesapeake22 contributions

Needs some TLC

Oct 2020 • none

We tried this restaurant after reading reviews online. We really wanted a good home cooked meal- the food was just okay. They were out of a lot of menu items. My husband wanted fried chicken after reading raving reviews and they didn’t even have it! I had a hamburger steak and my husband had turkey and dressing. Both were only mildly warm and the gravy’s were gelled on top. I’m not sure how they make any money off a $3.95 kids meal but my kids did like it. My son accidentally dropped his icecream on the floor, no help from any employees, I cleaned it on my own and my son was super upset we couldn’t get another one. The poor waitress (Emma) looked overwhelmed. Multiple tables with dirty dishes left on them after customers left. Not impressed.

Written October 18, 2020

Dave48838

Greenville659 contributions

Southern Cookng

Aug 2021 • none

This is a charming restaurant easily accessible from the Interstate. It is a little out of town but easy to find. There is plenty of parking around this eatery with an old fashioned store-front decor. There is a fairly large waiting area in white enamel, paned windows, and interesting wall features. The dining area is also fresh, clean, and comfortable. It took a little time to be seated as staff is short during Covid. Our waitress was attentive, however, and the service was good. The menu has been reduced and don't be surprised if everything listed is not available. With that in mind, the portions were good and the food was tasty. Our party ordered the turkey dinner, meat loaf, and crab cakes. Prices were about $13. Everyone was happy and well fed. Home made pies are available for dessert. We also took home some fresh baked cookies. The southern touch comes in the way of sides. They have a variety of dishes typical of the area. All were good. I would certainly recommend this eatery but be aware, there are some factors affected by the pandemic.

Written August 17, 2021

Ken B

Staunton6 contributions

home cooking & great baked goods

Jun 2019 • none

Mrs. Rowe's has been serving the Staunton area for decades, and has built up a solid following of regulars, as well as pulling in travelers from I-81 & I-64. Southern favorites dominate the menu, and the pies and other deserts are a real plus. Good food, friendly service, & reasonable prices.

Written February 12, 2020

77Zeke

Wayne274 contributions

Stop Here for Sure

Oct 2020 • couples

I would ignore the recent reviews that said that Mrs. Rowe’s was not the same, because our experience was excellent. This is the type of local family restaurant that makes traveling great. Forget the chains, they’re the same everywhere. This restaurant was a great choice for breakfast. My wife and I stayed the night after visiting nearby Luray Caverns. As hotels have largely dropped anything that looks like breakfast from their offerings we thought we’d go local. Mrs. Rowe’s was the obvious choice. We were seated promptly in an appropriately distanced table where we were comfortable. My wife ordered the oatmeal and was rewarded with a steaming bowl of perfectly cooked oats and a side bowl of strawberries. I ordered a mushroom and cheese omelette which was an appropriately sized offering with delightful home baked rye toast. Feeling charged and ready to face the day we hit the road for more adventure. Don’t believe the naysayers, give this wonderful spot a try. You can thank me later.

Written October 17, 2020

Time-Out007

Virginia44 contributions

Hometown Food With A Smile

Nov 2020 • none

For years Mrs Rowes has been a Staunton stable, it never fails to provide good hometown cooking at a fair price and a smile. After a traditional home cooked meal don’t forget to get a piece of pie or a cookie. They’re just like Grandma used to bake and worth every bite. Keep in mind, the food at Mrs. Rowes isn’t fancy and there are no Aires being put on. It’s traditional and tasty; you know it’s going to be good.

Written November 6, 2020

DonnaSC

Weyers Cave199 contributions

I am in a clear minority

Mar 2020 • none

Everyone LOVES this place. I am "dragged" here at least once a month and have yet to have a really good meal. I am low carb, which knocks out most of the menu and their admittedly outstanding desserts. Last time I tried the salad with a friend we both went home and threw up. Pork loin was dry and hard, even with the mountains of gravy (probably full of carbs). Once I just stuck with the soup, but over half was potatoes which I had to pull out. This last time I just had the veggie platter. Tomatoes, beans, and greens. Fell asleep afterwards, which only happens when I get MSG. I HATE being a complainer and everyone else loves the place (except my other low carb friend). Service is always very attentive and sweet. It is just not the place for me!

Written March 5, 2020

DOR816

New Market23 contributions

Don't bother, not what it used to be.

Jul 2022 • none

4 friends and I have met and eaten here 3 times in 3 months. Each time has been successively worse. Today finished it for us. I had the worst hamburger ever (dry, overcooked to gray color and thin.) The average fast-food place does better than this one was. My friends had different meals, but all of us agreed that the food is not even average, nothing like it was years ago. I think Mrs. Rowe would be appalled. I had, at an earlier visit, bought cookies. We threw them out-tasteless and hard. One friend previously bought a pie, he and his wife ended up throwing it out. The table top was very sticky, menu stuck to it, tea glasses stuck to it. I think it was clean, but the finish is deteriorating. The best part of the meal was the server, Rylee S. She did a good job. We all tipped her well, but will not be returning to Mrs. Rowe's.

Written July 20, 2022

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