Clocktower

Tried this place for the first time with moderate expectations. There were four of us who all had different Italian food entrees, which were all very tasty. The marinara sauce is flavorful and the appetizers we tried (cheese sticks and bruchetta) were good too. The only item we were disappointed with was a frozen margarita which was weak. They have some good beer selections on tap. Service was friendly and the manager came to our table to make sure we were satisfied. We found parking on the street without trouble on a Saturday night. Overall, a good place.

Overall good but left me wanting more? Pretty decent beer menu with a good selection of drafts from local breweries. The menu had some variety but nothing really unique or interesting. The appetizers looked good but were really pricey even for mozzarella sticks. Friend got the sampler which was literally 3 shrimp, one pork roll, and a spoonful of bruschetta; very small for the price. Husband got the Cuban which looked good but he said the taste just wasn’t all the way there. Other friend got the ravioli which was very good in taste but the portion was small and the price was high. I got the Tuscan Panini which was good but again the flavor was a bit lacking. Restaurant is smaller than expected. The staff was nice. Overall just ok.

Not a lot of options for an out-​of-​towner in this town, so we chose the place that we felt would offer the fewest surprises. Good beer menu although the waitress messed up the beer order, told us she did and still never brought the right beer.
The burger was on a delicious big pretzel bun. Unfortunately, the patty was 2/​3rds the size of the bun and meager and so the thickness of the pretzel pretty much masked the entire burger flavor. The patty was pretty small. «Home-​Made» chips were forgettable.
We also had the «Towering Club». This was more like a tiny-​house than a tower. Standard size bread cut in 4ths with cold deli meat — one strip of bacon. One fourth of the sandwich had no meat at all. The price was ok for a bigger sandwich, this was like a tea-​sandwich with too much bread. Not what i wanted. Sweet potato fries were forgettable too. Sweet-​potato fry special sauce came out after we’d eaten the fries. Would not go back.

Liked it so well the first time we went back the next evening for dinner! It’s not fancy, but felt like a good, solid local hangout. Our waiter, Ronald, was fantastic. Attentive, personable, eager to make sure we had a great experience. Brought several beer samples to help me figure out what new beer I might like with dinner. Menu has lots of options, and everything we had was yummy. Save room for the homemade cherry cobbler. We will definitely return.

Got the appetizer sampler with fried pickles, corn dip and spring rolls. Surprisingly good. Décor is dated, but service was great.

Excellent all around. Great service. Menu had fantastic variety. Lots of different food and old stanbys. The jalepeno corn dip and the pork bbq onion rings were unique and tasty! Also very reasonable prices. Will be coming back soon!

As a solo traveler, I look for little local gems like this place. Went for lunch. Had the coveted Chicken salad. Everything was really good, down to the sweet tea. Great service, also. Will definitely go back while here.

Stopped for an impromptu lunch on the way to visit my daughter at college and was pleasantly surprised! BEST fish and chips I think I’ve ever had. The fish was plump and I could taste a hint of the beer it was marinated in. GREAT homemade potato chips too. My husband had a very nice shrimp Po-​boy with fries and a nice cold beer. They were very busy, we had to sit at the bar but the service was good and we enjoyed talking with the bartender. We will definitely stop here again to check out the rest of the menu next time we are passing through town.

This review is for the beer and the bar service. I stopped here two days in a row with my girlfriend and was given great tips about what to do in Staunton and spot on service. Great beer selection too. Didn’t eat any food!

We were walking around Staunton and got hungry, but not hungry enough for a big meal. We stepped in since the menu outside looked good, and we weren’t disappointed! The two of us ordered two appetizer samplers (3 items each, so 6 all together). We got the spinach artichoke dip, bruschetta, fried green tomatoes, jerk dry rub wings, shrimp, and house-​made chips. All of it was great! The chips were my favorite. I don’t know what they put on top of them, but I wish I had ordered the full order of chips rather than the sampler size… they were awesome! I love French onion soup, but it didn’t come with the sampler. I’ve read good reviews, so I know what I’m getting next time I come!
To sum it up… if you don’t know where to eat in Staunton, eat here!

Don’t understand all the hype. We went for lunch where I asked the waitress what sandwiches she would recommend. The menu had several that sounded tasty. She recommend the burger saying it was really good… several other Unilocalers had as well. So I ordered it Medium with gouda. Wife ordered the French onion soup and a grilled cheese. While the place was moderately busy (it was about 130) it took a very long time for the food to come out. I’d say it was a good 25 min. The burger that came out was the definition of mediocre. First, it was well done. I mean very well done. Two, no condiments… it took another 10 min or so to get condiments. I also tried to change my chips to fires after i ordered, but a good 5 min later when the food came out with chips, I was told there were no fries available… even though many other plates were coming out with fries. My wife’s meal was good, but also nothing legendary. I just don’t understand how this place gets such rave reviews. When you can’t make a decent burger or tell the difference between well and medium, then you don’t deserve more than 2 stars.

One of the coolest restaurants ever. Wait staff was not only good they were a lot of fun and made you feel right at home. Didn’t seem crowded for a Saturday night and after our experience there and their menu items I found that odd. Great mix of food served hot and fresh. Their French onion soup is to die for. Not over cheesed as some and it came out very hot which is important. Friend had the appetizer combo with drunken shrimp — and fresh bruschetta which was also fantastic — lots of garlic so that was a problem when we got back to our room! And the cheese sticks which were kind of typical. Not bad, just typical. Veggie that I am I had the spaghetti piccolo with red sauce — the tomatoes were obviously fresh –which was also great. Best of all though was their homemade bread which I can say without question was some of the best I’ve ever had. Love that crunchy buttery texture and taste. Kids this is must stop in Staunton, VA. Don’t miss it

Came to the Clocktower restaurant to meet new friends. The service was quick and the wait staff was friendly.
Odd that there was no drink menu.

All I wanted was a burger before enjoying my Shakespeare play up the street! It seemed to be hard to find a simple burger that didn’t break the bank on the Main Street. Clock tower fit the bill! Service was excellent, decent beer selection, and a fabulous burger. I had provolone and bacon on the pretzel roll and ate all of it! Great fries and just a wonderful experience. I will certainly return when I’m in Staunton again!

This is a fun spot with excellent service. We have eaten here three times and have never been disappointed. The apps are the best in town.

Service was great, the French dip was really good. The Shrimp & Spinach Quesadilla wad delicious! Good choice.

Not too impressed. I got the Black and Bleu while the wife got the Pork and Fried Tomato salad. Food was just ok. Beer selection was ok. And price was ok. So this is a 3 star joint. Our server was a nice fellow. I bet this place is popular with the locals.

Order the salmon salad with medium rare salmon and you’ll be happy.
Beers come out very cold and very quickly.
The Soup + Mel lunch special is a steal. Their veggies or meat in a grilled cheese comes out perfectly buttery/​greasy. Add on a side of delicious onion rings for a real gut buster (or a side of fruit or side salad if you’re feeling virtuous).
Our waitress was friendly and attentive. The only thing I could have wished for was brighter lighting. Without the the tea lights on the tables lit at lunch it was quite gloomy in the back on a rainy day.

Before I start this review I should say that, living in NYC I eat a LOT of good food all the time. Involuntarily, that’s made me a bit of a snob about food when I travel out of NYC and into small towns across the US. I just don’t go into restaurants expecting much. Well, I was blown away by Clocktower, nestled in historic Staunton, VA.
I stopped by for dinner. The restaurant is cozy and clean, and the staff is very welcoming. I ordered fried pickles, a house salad and a half size of the 4 cheese ravioli. First off, let’s start with the table bread that I’d like to label as «cheesy bread». It’s AMAZING. Despite the ridiculous flavor, the amount of cheese and butter was a perfect ratio and not overwhelming. Want to know why I’m writing so much about the bread? Order it.
The fried pickles were SO good as well! The batter was thin enough, so I could actually taste the pickle. I hate when I order fried fingers foods and it’s a mystery what I ordered because I only taste batter. NOT the case here.
The house salad was fresh. I could tell it was freshly chopped up and not bagged like I’ve experienced in other restaurants.
Now, the entrée… As a girl who’s always watching her figure, I was SO happy to see a «half size» option on the pasta menu. I usually order a pasta dish, pay full price for it, can’t eat it all and throw it out. Clocktower gives you the choice. As far as the taste goes — OUT of this world! Not too cheesy, not too saucy, a dash of pesto — absolutely delicious.
My table shared the strawberry cake and crème brûlée desserts. You could tell the cake was made with real strawberries and not just food coloring. Delicious! And the crème brûlée was amazing as well.
Let me also note that throughout the meal the manager and the DiGuardos (owners) stopped by every so often to make sure everything was coming out well and to our satisfaction. Now that’s something I RARELY see in New York.

Well, i was hoping for something pretty great given the earlier reviews. But unfortunately, this place is pretty forgettable; both in décor and quality of food.
I had the pork tenderloin and fried green salad priced at $ 12.50. What I got where 2 over-​seasoned pork (possibly tenderloin: too over cooked, dry) fillets, 2 fried green tomatoes hidden in a ¼ of breading, accompanied by a side of about one cup’s worth of spinach. Sprinkled with bleu cheese and a little too much (store bought?) sweet chili sauce. Meh.
The wife; a somewhat dry-​looking french dip. Not much to say about that.