Tap into the Taphouse... at Queen's Way

Norfolk has the Taphouse, while Hampton has the Taphouse at Queens Way. My husband Dave and I arrived there about 6:30 on a weeknight and found a very full house. The downstairs was completely thronged with full tables, while the bar was standing room only. Due to that— and the many people smoking— we headed up the broad wooden stairs.

There, in a quieter, slightly more intimate atmosphere, we found a few open tables. The lone waitress cheerfully motioned us to pick a table, so we settled against the wall under a colorful array of beer-centric posters. Soon bringing our menus, she took the time to go over the specials, deftly answering all of our questions. She gave this same cheerful, patient service to each and every table. This is the kind of person who makes waiting tables look and feel effortless.

She soon returned with two ice cold glasses. The smaller goblet-shaped one held my Allagash White Ale ($5), while Dave’s Konig Ludwig Hefeweizen ($5) came long and tall. Both were more than satisfactory.



Runners were up and down the stairs, making certain that no wait grew too long. The first dish up was the crispy chicken livers ($5). I’m not sure what I’d been expecting, but it certainly wasn’t the gleaming white plate in front of me. A carefully arranged stack of golden-crusted livers was dotted with generous chunks of bacon, topped by crunchy browned threads of onion and surrounded by artful balsamic squiggles. The livers were crunchy on the outside and pleasingly tender on the inside. And, of course, everything is better with bacon!



Next up was the Caesar salad ($7). Undoubtedly sized for sharing, the fresh greens were slightly over-dressed in a garlicky, tangy dressing. Toasty croutons and shreds of fresh Parmesan topped it off quite nicely.


For my entree, it was impossible to ignore the allure of fresh soft-shell crabs. These crispy little critters were a bit heavy-handed on the breading but delicious nonetheless. They also came with a portion of golden french fries, undoubtedly the best I’ve tried in quite some time. Lest I get lost in a world too filled with grease, a tiny plastic ramekin filled with creamy yet light coleslaw helped everything down.

Dave had no qualms about trying out the fried chicken plate ($10). This classic comfort food had a nicely spiced crust with just the right amount of crunch, revealing a surprisingly moist and tasty interior. It came with smooth mashed potatoes, covered in a peppery brown gravy, and the vegetables of the day. In this case carrots and broccoli, bright and tender-crisp.

The waitress, admirably handling the growing crowd, was quickly at tableside to offer dessert. The strawberry puff sounded great (desserts change daily), but the hour was growing late for us early risers.

The newest incarnation of the Taphouse sticks with its strongpoint: a slew of international beers coupled with a welcoming and knowledgeable staff. Gilding the lily is the well-prepared tavern fare that runs the gamut from seared sashimi tuna and Frito pie to jambalaya, fresh fish and serious sandwiches.

The Taphouse (Hampton)
17 East Queens Way, Hampton
Phone: 224-5829
Specialties: large variety of beers on tap/bottle; upscale casual tavern fare
Price range: appetizers: $4-$9; sandwiches/wraps: $6-$10; burgers: $6-$8; entrees: $9-$16; seafood: $12-$16
Hours: 11 a.m.- 2 a.m., 7 days a week
Alcohol: beer, wine, full bar
Smoking: yes
Vegetarian: yes
Wheelchair accessible: yes
Payment: cash, credit cards
Noise level: noisy
Atmosphere: cozy tavern
Additional Information: 37 beers on tap, 165 by the bottle (as of press time).
Star rating: food 3 1/2, atmosphere 3, service 4
(out of five stars)