This was my third visit to the Inn at Little Washington over thirty years - so a once a decade splurge. These days a meal will set you back at least $500 per person depending on how much you splurge on wine. The set price of $368 does not include all items offered on the menu - two of the options have a supplemental cost, including cheese at $32.00 per person.

Four of went to celebrate a couple of milestone birthdays and had a lovely evening overall. The food - for the most part- was sublime, creative and beautifully presented. I didn't love the foie gras in pear (the appetizer for the non-veggies) but otherwise every course was a standout. But the experience diminished at the end for two reasons. First, we had eaten desert and were considering amongst ourselves whether to have coffee/tea when we were presented with the bill and the little to go boxes. This surprised us as several other diners who arrived at the same time were having coffee. We were seated at one of the few tables for four so perhaps they had another party coming? Whatever the reason, we felt rushed.

Second, on reviewing the bill we discovered we had been charged for two classes of wine we had not ordered- at $40 each this was hardly a rounding error. I find it extremely rare to get overcharged at restaurants and for a fine dining establishment like the Inn at Little Washington I find it inexcusable. So the evening ended on a bit of a sour note.

Finally, I do wonder if this price tag is sustainable. We had no difficulty getting reservations and looking ahead I found that most nights have availability.

If you enjoy fine dining and are looking for a place to spend over $1,000 of your hard-earned money, you can do much better than the Inn at Little Washington. For those chasing Michelin star experiences, this is one you’ll want to quickly check off your list, question why it has those stars in the first place, and likely never return – unless you’re one of the regulars who get special treatment.

Like an uncanny blend of The Menu and The Village, the Inn at Little Washington promises to transport you back in time to when droves of wait staff acted as robots and were cycled through endlessly to accomplish highly specific individualized tasks for your dining pleasure. During our 5-course pre-paid meal, we met no less than 13 different staff members and were seated directly next to a wait station. The amount of anxiety and unease produced by the feeling that we were constantly being observed and listened to (and we were being listened to) in a quaint inn with many, many staff eerily standing around cannot be understated. Don’t get me wrong, everyone was perfectly pleasant in their demeanor and delivery, everyone was professional…but maybe too professional? Everything felt choreographed (in a bad way) and there was no sense of warmth or comfort that a good server often brings to a meal out.

Alcohol quality and service were excellent and reasonably priced (if not slightly on the high end, but in line with what you’d expect at a place like this).

With respect to the food: it was good (not great) and nowhere close to feeling like we got what we paid for. The portions on the amouse bouche, carpaccio, and lobster terrine were modest; however, the portion size of the main courses (duck breast and venison) were downright insulting. My wife got a single strip of duck (which was cooked expertly) and I got two silver dollar sized medallions of venison (also cooked expertly) which left us both wondering where the rest of our respective dishes were. For almost $900 (not including alcohol) we felt ripped off.

The kicker for all this was receiving a bill at the end of the meal which included a 22% service charge. Now, in isolation, this is not an issue. But here, when we pre-paid the meal (as you are required to do to dine here) we already paid a 22% service charge. So why then, Dear Reader, should another identical charge be assessed? The whole experience felt like a cash grab for the unwitting. I would not recommend this place and I have serious questions regarding how they are able to maintain 3 Michelin stars. For much better experiences where you can feel that the value of your dollar is either met or exceeded, I recommend The Kitchen, Ella, or Rose’s Luxury.

The Inn at Little Washington is a culinary experience. Dinner was sublime, service is impeccable and the location is amazing. A stay at the Inn is a must if coming for dinner. The team have an eye to every detail, and succeed at creating a transformative escape. They are totally invested in the guests and making sure they truly enjoying their stay.