Baker's Crust Artisan Kitchen

It's closed down..

Recently my wife and I were in Virginia while on vacation, and we tried to eat dinner at the Baker’s Crust Artisan Kitchen restaurant in Williamsburg. When we got there we were surprised to see a sign indicating the restaurant had closed early due to “staffing issues.” The next day we tried again a little after 7 pm, and while the restaurant was open there were only a handful of people there. After ordering, we spotted a small notice, placed behind several table items, with the Baker’s Crust logo on it. Given its placement—hiding behind the salt and pepper—the notice could easily have been mistaken for a menu or overlooked altogether. When we read it, we were surprised to see that Baker’s Crust had implemented a “temporary” 3.5% fee on all checks to avoid raising menu prices. Our waiter did not mention this to us when we ordered, nor was there any other more prominent notification. I guess management thinks its customer are stupid and would believe this was a better deal than raising prices, or maybe they were counting on us not noticing. The same disclosure was listed on our bill, but by that time we had ordered and eaten our meal. (The food was ok except that I don’t particularly like my fries on the greasy side.) I thought about refusing to pay the 3.5%—which at the very least should have been disclosed to us prior to ordering and preferably upon entering the restaurant —but we were ready to get out of there so I just paid the bill, knowing we will never go to this or any other Baker’s Crust restaurant.   When we returned home I wrote to John Stein, who is listed on the company’s website as founder, president and CEO, asking how he justified a 3.5% across-the-board fee for everything a customer purchases. My email to him bounced back as a permanent error, so I called the corporate office which—surprise—was automated. There was no option for reaching Mr. Stein, so the closest I got to a way to lodge a complaint was an email address for marketing. I sent my letter there and it went through, but never got a reply. This appears to me to be a company that is just trying to survive staff issues and price increases, and is not particularly concerned about its customers.

The most racist establishment I have ever been to. My family and I waited 10 minutes before leaving. We were the only African American couple in the restaurant with young children. No one came to take our order and we told the hostess and a waitress at the hostess stand. We decided to wait another 5 minutes and still no server. I finally got up and asked to speak with a manager. When I was leaving a couple that had been there after us apologized for the treatment because they seen my family waiting to be served. While the other guest around us were served and they came in after. I will never visit this place again. Worst service and staff!

Atmosphere: 1

Service: 1

I know people in the restaurant industry can be the worst critics which is why we try not to complain. We understand the staffing issues that are present post COVID, to a point but our most recent experience leaves me concerned. We have been to BC several times over the last year. Each time, the food is progressively lacking in quality. Between the cold sides, the ignored special requests to omit an item, wrong temps on the protein, and the overall deficiency in the quality and the presentation of the entree, we are completely dissatisfied in what has become of BC post COVID.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 1

Service: 3

What has happened to this place?!? We arrived to one other party in the restaurant. They ran out of a lot to include the bread for my sandwich. The alternative was the hardest bread they could find! When i mentioned it to my waitress she said “okay.” The 4oz of fries on my plate was an insult too! Once this place was our go-to when in Williamsburg but not anymore!

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 2

Service: 2

I used to love coming to the Baker's Crust in Williamsburg. Post-Covid, they have really gone downhill. I'm not sure if it is a staffing issue. The last 3 times that I've been, the food was disappointing, and the service was incredibly slow. I went this past Friday with a co-worker, and we ordered breakfast. It took ten minutes for us to be greeted and seated, It appeared that at that time only one waiter was working and he was running the whole room. It took another 20 minutes for him to come back to the table to get our drink order. We received our food about an hour after we first arrived at the restaurant. My friend and I were acutely aware of how long it was taking because we had to get back to work to a meeting at a certain time, and we were concerned we weren't going to make it. I ordered scrambled eggs and the Malibu french toast. The eggs tasted sour and off and had a very strange texture. The french toast was absolutely flavorless and had a pasty, uncooked texture. My friend tried it as well and concurred with everything that I said. The eggs and the french toast cost twenty-five dollars plus a tip (I did tip 20 percent because the waiter was kind and being short staffed wasn't his fault). After three bad visits in a row, I will not return to this particular restaurant.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 2

Service: 2

We had a terrible food experience. Almost nothing was edible and we are not super picky with food at all! The server was pleasant and really tried to make it right but the kitchen staff was not it. The french toast smelled terrible and had the strangest after taste (either the eggs they were dipped in were not good or the griddle was dirty). The kitchen staff originally forgot several ingredients on the steak so it was sent back for a new one since they totally missed the fries it came with and we had to wait for them to make it. They sent back a pretty rare steak that was rubbery, completely flavorless, and impossible to chew. We just decided to take the loss and pay and leave. Never again!

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 1

Service: 4

I used to love coming to the Baker's Crust in Williamsburg. Post-Covid, they have really gone downhill. I'm not sure if it is a staffing issue. The last 3 times that I've been, the food was disappointing, and the service was incredibly slow. I went this past Friday with a co-worker, and we ordered breakfast. It took ten minutes for us to be greeted and seated, It appeared that at that time only one waiter was working and he was running the whole room. It took another 20 minutes for him to come back to the table to get our drink order. We received our food about an hour after we first arrived at the restaurant. My friend and I were acutely aware of how long it was taking because we had to get back to work to a meeting at a certain time, and we were concerned we weren't going to make it. I ordered scrambled eggs and the Malibu french toast. The eggs tasted sour and off and had a very strange texture. The french toast was absolutely flavorless and had a pasty, uncooked texture. My friend tried it as well and concurred with everything that I said. The eggs and the french toast cost twenty-five dollars plus a tip (I did tip 20 percent because the waiter was kind and being short staffed wasn't his fault). After three bad visits in a row, I will not return to this particular restaurant.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 2

Service: 2

My kids love the cheese pizza!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Ordered the Shanghai Salmon salad to go. There were probably 2 leaves , that they call it as salad, no avocado or anything that was said in the description. The Salmon smelled very fishy as if it was very rotten. They need to close. Did not expect this from Baker's

Food: 1

Terribly slow. We walked in about 12:05. Food delivered to the table about 1:15. And the food was mediocre at best. Go eat someplace else.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 3

Service: 1

This place has become run down, the upside of which was that there wasn't a wait to be seated like there used to be. Service was pretty good, but slow. Some menu items were not available. The food, a salad and a burger plate, was decent but perhaps not worth the price, especially since there was a 3.5% "adjustment fee" added to the bill. This was not listed on the menu or explained by the wait staff, but displayed on a card on the table, turned away from the diners, and on the check, when it arrived. We all understand that prices have risen lately; why resort to flimflammery?

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 3

Service: 4

Recommended dishes: Smash Burger

The Waitress displayed phenomenal customer service the entire time. It was a quiet and clean environment . If I could I would rate it 10 stars.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Chicken & Waffle

Sausage pizza was so

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

We went to Bakers Crust (split a sandwich - Italian sub on baquette bread) - it was excellent!!! We upgraded chips to homemade fries and they brought it out on two plates - great service and we loved the food.

Parking: Next to great shopping!!

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5