Operated by The Fermented Pig. The reviews I have seen are all over the place. I will get my one huge complaint out of the way upfront. It's expensive. $42 per person which doesn't include beverages of any sort save water. But it's a National Park and a performance venue. What else would you expect? The food was better than average for a high throughput buffet. There were some hits -- the fried chicken and fried fish were both crispy, moist, and well seasoned -- which is an achievement! The potato salad and coleslaw were top notch. And some misses -- the pulled pork and bratwurst were a bit dry. So do a sampling run and then go back for what is best that particular evening. It is a buffet, after all. The facility is beautiful and overlooks the Wolf Trap meadow. And last night the weather was perfect. So thumbs up for ambiance! Would I eat here every night? No. But it's a good place to come every once in a while if you just so happen to be at the park.
Hillary S
Best food in northern Virginia and the staff is great! Ovations and the Fermented Pig provide the most relaxing atmosphere and lovely dining experience!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
A. Makela
Excellent service by Claire!Fabulous barbecue buffet with pulled pork, brisket, fried chicken, bratwurst and other amazing things. Especially the brownies and apple strudelVegetarian options: very few availableKid-friendliness: This place is expensive. I wouldn't recommend bringing kids.Parking: Parking nearby is limited to Handicapped accessible spaces unless you arrive early!Wheelchair accessibility: YesDietary restrictions: easy.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cornbread
Chris Dougherty
Two thumbs up for the pulled pork (which you definitely have to sauce b/c it dries on the hot table), the potato salad (personally I needed salt but that's just me), and the raspberry sorbet, which tastes like real raspberries. Convenient for a show, but I just don't see how you can eat 43 dollars worth of food, especially if you're going for traditional BBQ. Slaw was ok, and I'll bet there are people who like their mac n cheese they way they do it, but I thought it was too soupy and squishy. Very nice staff.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
Allison P.
Picked up 2 picnic meals for my concert and I was disappointed. The pasta in my sesame noodles and sausage pasta entrees was way undercooked, almost to the point of it being inedible. I was also a little disappointed in the quantity of food provided. The meats (lamb and sausage) were the highlights of the picnic meals. For the price, I don't think I'd get another picnic meal from here.
Paula Mitchell
Enjoyed this place. It's a beautiful setting and a nice start to an enjoyable evening.Parking: Wolf Trap has a lot of free parking. However. Be prepared for a long wait to exit.Kid-friendliness: Not too many kids were at this show. More of an adult venue.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Roasted Salmon
JOHN NEEK
It has been a long time for me to give a one star rating. However, this place deserves a bad review. The price is $45 for supposedly an American buffet. The food choices are so limited and not eye pleasing. For this price we should get a good choice of bbq, steaks and more. But there are foods that I didn’t recognized by name or look. Petty choices of deserts too.I wish that was the worst part of it. I had readSome reviews about their bad food safety and hygiene , I didn’t believe it until I experienced it. Immediately after we left the place, 3 out of four of us had stomach cramps and two of us experienced diarrhea an hour later. I am sure their food had bacteria staphylococcus Aeros(staph. A.). This usually comes from personnel’s bad hygiene like not washing their hands. Please be aware?
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 3
Jen L.
We ate at The Fermented Pig at Ovations and it was bland and not worth $48 pp. Buffet or not. The baked beans tasted like Bush's from a can. The mushroom ravioli was very dried out. All of the meat was very dry and flavorless. Except the pulled pork. That was dry but had a good Smokey flavor and made better by the NC vinegar sauce. The Mac and cheese tasted like white American cheese/velveeta. The potato salad was not kept cold enough to be safe. The breadsticks were stale. The Rice Krispie treats were not. I will not recommend this place to anyone. The staff was friendly but we never got refills on our waters or drinks.
Guide54585782185
Be aware that if you order a picnic and wolf trap cancels for weather, which they did after 3pm last night, you will not get a refund or postphonemment of your order: they just keep your money. This despite the fact that they shuttle is not running and you can't get there for pickup.
Good selection of ok food. A great place to sit out of sun/rain.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Dennis Tozser
Buffet food was good, nothing to write home about, except the dessert. The brownies and apple strudel were excellent!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Fred Dunn
Although pricey the buffet food was of good quality and preparation. It's BBQ themed and the restaurant is very relaxing. A very civilized way to start a show at Wolftrap.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Creamy Potato Salad
Chuck McEvoy
Very sm portions. Charcuterie board is just slivers of meat. Pulled pork sandwich dry. Mouthful of cole slaw and bag of chips.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 4
Kristina McCracken
My husband and I both ended up with food poisoning after eating dinner here. Our food choices did not overlap so we are not sure what caused it. Also extremely high priced for bland food.
Operated by The Fermented Pig. The reviews I have seen are all over the place. I will get my one huge complaint out of the way upfront. It's expensive. $42 per person which doesn't include beverages of any sort save water. But it's a National Park and a performance venue. What else would you expect? The food was better than average for a high throughput buffet. There were some hits -- the fried chicken and fried fish were both crispy, moist, and well seasoned -- which is an achievement! The potato salad and coleslaw were top notch. And some misses -- the pulled pork and bratwurst were a bit dry. So do a sampling run and then go back for what is best that particular evening. It is a buffet, after all. The facility is beautiful and overlooks the Wolf Trap meadow. And last night the weather was perfect. So thumbs up for ambiance! Would I eat here every night? No. But it's a good place to come every once in a while if you just so happen to be at the park.
Best food in northern Virginia and the staff is great! Ovations and the Fermented Pig provide the most relaxing atmosphere and lovely dining experience!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Excellent service by Claire!Fabulous barbecue buffet with pulled pork, brisket, fried chicken, bratwurst and other amazing things. Especially the brownies and apple strudelVegetarian options: very few availableKid-friendliness: This place is expensive. I wouldn't recommend bringing kids.Parking: Parking nearby is limited to Handicapped accessible spaces unless you arrive early!Wheelchair accessibility: YesDietary restrictions: easy.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cornbread
Two thumbs up for the pulled pork (which you definitely have to sauce b/c it dries on the hot table), the potato salad (personally I needed salt but that's just me), and the raspberry sorbet, which tastes like real raspberries. Convenient for a show, but I just don't see how you can eat 43 dollars worth of food, especially if you're going for traditional BBQ. Slaw was ok, and I'll bet there are people who like their mac n cheese they way they do it, but I thought it was too soupy and squishy. Very nice staff.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
Picked up 2 picnic meals for my concert and I was disappointed. The pasta in my sesame noodles and sausage pasta entrees was way undercooked, almost to the point of it being inedible. I was also a little disappointed in the quantity of food provided. The meats (lamb and sausage) were the highlights of the picnic meals. For the price, I don't think I'd get another picnic meal from here.
Enjoyed this place. It's a beautiful setting and a nice start to an enjoyable evening.Parking: Wolf Trap has a lot of free parking. However. Be prepared for a long wait to exit.Kid-friendliness: Not too many kids were at this show. More of an adult venue.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Roasted Salmon
It has been a long time for me to give a one star rating. However, this place deserves a bad review. The price is $45 for supposedly an American buffet. The food choices are so limited and not eye pleasing. For this price we should get a good choice of bbq, steaks and more. But there are foods that I didn’t recognized by name or look. Petty choices of deserts too.I wish that was the worst part of it. I had readSome reviews about their bad food safety and hygiene , I didn’t believe it until I experienced it. Immediately after we left the place, 3 out of four of us had stomach cramps and two of us experienced diarrhea an hour later. I am sure their food had bacteria staphylococcus Aeros(staph. A.). This usually comes from personnel’s bad hygiene like not washing their hands. Please be aware?
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 3
We ate at The Fermented Pig at Ovations and it was bland and not worth $48 pp. Buffet or not. The baked beans tasted like Bush's from a can. The mushroom ravioli was very dried out. All of the meat was very dry and flavorless. Except the pulled pork. That was dry but had a good Smokey flavor and made better by the NC vinegar sauce. The Mac and cheese tasted like white American cheese/velveeta. The potato salad was not kept cold enough to be safe. The breadsticks were stale. The Rice Krispie treats were not. I will not recommend this place to anyone. The staff was friendly but we never got refills on our waters or drinks.
Be aware that if you order a picnic and wolf trap cancels for weather, which they did after 3pm last night, you will not get a refund or postphonemment of your order: they just keep your money. This despite the fact that they shuttle is not running and you can't get there for pickup.
Service staff was Excellent!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Good selection of ok food. A great place to sit out of sun/rain.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Buffet food was good, nothing to write home about, except the dessert. The brownies and apple strudel were excellent!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Although pricey the buffet food was of good quality and preparation. It's BBQ themed and the restaurant is very relaxing. A very civilized way to start a show at Wolftrap.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Creamy Potato Salad
Very sm portions. Charcuterie board is just slivers of meat. Pulled pork sandwich dry. Mouthful of cole slaw and bag of chips.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 4
My husband and I both ended up with food poisoning after eating dinner here. Our food choices did not overlap so we are not sure what caused it. Also extremely high priced for bland food.