Cochon on 2nd

An absolutely wonderful dining experience, the courses were spaced out to allow you time to settle before continuing. The service was top notch and attentive, it is pricey but well worth it for the quality of the food and service.

The absolute best food and service tonight! Everything was off the charts delicious. Elisabeth waited on us hand and foot tonight and it meant the world. The mocktail she made me was so incredibly yummy!!!!

This was a very new experience for us. I would say the fanciest restaurant we've eaten before. The staff were very kind and attentive. The atmosphere was very relaxing, decor beautiful, and interesting to be able to watch the kitchen. Our waitress was very informative on what meals came with and her recommendations. The bread and appetizers were delicious. The main course was something to see. It's one of those plates you don't want to eat from as it looks like artwork. We will be coming back for sure.

Simply phenomenal, the atmosphere is upscale yet simple. Dim lighting with open kitchen concept that’s great for date night! My husband and I relished our dinner date! We started with the firecracker shrimp 🍤,YUM! So fresh and crisp with fresh veggies! Honestly you can’t go wrong! For entrees, I ordered the Scottish Salmon 🍣 it was delicious! My husband went with the duck, and loved every bite. We were so full we didn’t save room for dessert, even so, I am sure would have been delish! Oh let me not forget! Ask for bread 🍞 It is so tasty and fresh! I would highly recommend for dinner if in Williamsburg! Thanks for having us!

Absolutely amazing experience. Fantastic staff and food. Very cozy, candlelit atmosphere. We had Moscato, gazpacho, watermelon salad, Scottish salmon, and seared scallops. Just amazing. Pricey but worth it. We celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary and my husband's 50th birthday. They made the menus for us and let us keep them.

My husband and I were so pleased to accept an invitation to meet a dear friend of mine for dinner at Cochon on 2nd this past weekend; she made reservations at the bar to treat us to a Wagyu burger and a cocktail menu that we’d never forget. Now, Wagyu beef is prized for its rich flavor, attributed to its extensive marbling, and hails from Japan. Not only did Cochon deliver on its promise for delectable food and exquisite spirits, they absolutely delivered in terms of excellent service. Emily was the name of our cheerful, witty, and dedicated bartender, who each time she visited us, made our experience a memorable one. But, let’s back up a second and talk about the beautiful bar and restaurant, so perfectly lit with tiny white lights, that it felt both spacious and cozy at the same time. Our trio was neatly tucked away in the corner of the bar, and it felt like private seating, even though we shared the bar with patrons to the right of us.

Immediately we were greeted and offered beverages, which Emily helped us select, as we had questions as to the beer offerings. We learned that Cochon does offer draft beers, they are merely in the kitchen now, and not in clear view. My husband landed on the Vienna Lager, a dark lager hailing from Devil’s Backbone Brewery, which is just a stone's throw away in Nelson County, Virginia. A fan of wine myself, I was so pleased to choose the L’Ecole Bin 41 Merlot, a medium-bodied red with notes of dark berries, dark cocoa, and tobacco. What was served to me was impressive, a generous pour if I ever saw one! As for my friend, the one who introduced us to this wonderful place, she decided on the Paloma, the cocktail special of the evening, featuring Patron tequila, fresh squeezed grapefruit juice, and fresh jalapenos for an added kick. Let's just say the first Paloma led to a second Paloma.

Emily presented the specials so beautifully, describing each item in a way that made you desire them, with a buoyant mood to boot. She treated us all like family who had come for a visit, and she wanted each of us to feel special and included. When it came time for bread, Emily danced around the bar with her bread basket, chock full of the most delightful whole grain bread, packed with nutty seeds, and accompanied by farm fresh butter. While we had come into Cochon on a mission, we were so entertained by this incredible specials list. I have to admit, our anticipation for this Wagyu burger was building as we finally placed our dinner orders!

What seemed like a short period of time passed and suddenly, towering Wagyu burgers were presented to us, with overflowing tornadoes of French fries. Sometimes I’m a little shy around new-to-me flavor profiles, so please forgive me for requesting my balsamic onion jam on the side. What I discovered upon my first incredible bite of this juicy, smoky burger was that it didn’t need it! Wow! The maple-smoked Vermont cheddar cheese melted so gloriously over this mouthwatering burger, and let’s not overlook the thickest, meatiest bacon cut I’ve enjoyed on a burger - the Cochon bacon. Wedged between two sides of a brioche roll, this burger was flavorful, and luscious, and not to be forgotten. The French fries were crispy on the outside, and tender throughout, salted to perfection, and the rightful side dish for this magnificent burger.

As you can imagine, we’ll be back again to experience more of what Cochon on 2nd has to offer, and you should certainly check them out as well! They have already updated their website with their 2024 Valentine's Day Specials.

WOW! A mere seven years into a fabulous run—in what must have been quite a survival, hiding ever as it does today behind The Velvet Shoelace throughout the Reign of Terror, as we find . . . . and Cochon on 2nd is a legend AND a reality!

It’ll cost ya!

I was invited to consider the designer drink list and the wine list before I was even allowed to see the dinner menu. Both of course are very impressive, but alas I was far more hungry than thirsty this evening—and being alone, I would be driving!

A jewel in the crown for any billionaire boys’ club, this splendid New American Restaurant seems almost to have more chefs than patrons—and unless they were politely edging a badly underdressed baseball-cap wearing customer out the door, my elegant and friendly waiter David G G had to elbow his way through his solicitous colleagues to take my order! Never, I suspect, has anyone stumbled through their door so completely unprepared to face such a formidable menu. I apologize, certainly—in my search for an innocent appetizer or perhaps a salad—I walked into what must be the Mother of Fine Cuisine in Antic Williamsburg. Louis XIV would have loved this place. I love this place, and I will be back—the food is ALL excellent, and the staff is friendly and fun—next time hopefully to write a much more considered review. I have surreptitiously taken a number of photographs which I share with you as Happy Prologue to the Swelling Act:

We've eaten at Cochon a couple of times. The food and service rank consistently among the best we've experienced anywhere. Last night we had the experience of being waited on by a newly-minted server (she confessed that we were her very first customers.) She was terrific. She knew the menu and how things were prepared. Despite being only 20 years old, she made an outstanding recommendation for a wine paring with my grilled pork chop. That speaks to the training that waitstaff receive at Cochon. It is fun to watch the activity in the kitchen and see how the staff on both sides of the counter work together to make dining at Cochon an excellent experience. Highly recommended.

This was the first restaurant my husband and I tried when we moved to Williamsburg last year. We come from a city known for great food and hoped we could find that here too.

Hands down our experience was one of the best we have had anywhere. Cochon absolutely crushed our expectations. We have recommended Cochon to our friends and they have had equally outstanding experiences.

Now that I have had the chance to sample other restaurants around the area I am confident to say that Cochon on 2nd is the best dining experience, start to finish, that Williamsburg has to offer.

Shop in the Square but make your dinner plans on 2nd Street. You will not be disappointed.

Update: Recently visited again. The octopus special was impeccably prepared. Highly recommend the dish!

Update: We enjoyed our Valentine’s dinner in 2022 so much that we returned for 2023. This time we waited for Friday (instead of dining on Vday) - once again WOW! Service, food, wine, dessert - amazing across the board. This restaurant is so good we drive all the way from Chesapeake, Va just to dine here.

We dined here for Valentine’s day and although the place was busy our service was above board, the food was incredible and delicious. We randomly chose this restaurant because we would be visiting the area and we were not disappointed. The chef asked us how the food was, our server Tailor constantly checked on us, and not once were we left wanting anything. The service, the food, the wine.... made the entire evening very special. Of course the company of my handsome husband sealed the deal ☺. I can’t stress this enough, the food was amazing! Definitely returning when we are in town again.

Great atmosphere. Servers Maria and Jonas were fabulous. Had the special. Perfect. Great wine selection.

Nothing short of amazing. Fantastic choice for Lent with octopus salad and fish entrées. Great for date nights. We'll definitely be repeat patrols.

This place is absolutely amazing. It is my fiancé and I’s favorite restaurant for many reasons including the amazing food, comfortable aesthetic and outstanding service. I have not had a single dish at Cochon I haven’t loved including dishes I wouldn’t normally eat. Their Au Gratin is absolutely amazing, so much so that I ask for two with my meal. I have loved every waiter/waitress we have had but we especially love Allison. She is knowledgeable on the menu, attentive and just always very kind and happy. I recommend Cochon to anyone looking for fine dining and amazing food.

Let me start by saying I was way underdressed for this place walking in with a shirt and converse shoes😂

The food was amazing.
We had the fried scallops and lobster bisque.
Entré was the duck and the lamb chops. Although the char on the lamb was a bit too much for me. It was still delicious.
For desert the lemon cake and chocolate mousse did not disappoint.

If you drink I recommend the French Martini. Yummmy.

Excellent quality of food & service! Best food in the area by far!

Polite, attentive, friendly and knowledgeable staff. Superb food, in pleasant surroundings, with a good selection of by-the-glass wines. The 30 year port is a fine finishing touch. Not cheap, but excellent value for money.

If I could give them a 10 I would give them a 10! This will be my regular haunt on visits to this area. I have food allergies and this place is awesome for that reason and quality freshness atmosphere just everything. Bravo.

We just had the most amazing anniversary dinner! When we arrived, they had a menu printed for us that said, “Happy 23rd Anniversary!” This was such a wonderful personal touch! Our server, Brittany, was exceptional. Always there for anything we needed, but not hovering.

I started off with a Pear Martini, and my husband had an Old Fashioned. I think I found a new favorite drink! ❤

For appetizers we had the Firecracker Shrimp and the Crab Cakes. I could have made a meal just out of the firecracker shrimp-jumbo shrimp with mushrooms, red peppers, carrots, and snap peas. The crab cakes tasted like pure crab-I couldn’t taste any filler, just the lump crab meat.

For our main, my husband and I both had steak-I had the ribeye and my husband had the filet. They were both cooked exCrlu as we requested, along with the potatoes and vegetables. My husband said it was the best steak he’s ever had!

We shared an apple crisp with ice cream for dessert. By this time we were so full we were only about to take a few bites. (I forgot to get a picture of it.)

I have nothing negative to say about Cochon’s! If I could give it more than 5 ⭐, I would!

Beautiful meal and the staff were beyond courteous. My favorite was the scallop potatoes. To die for. Just an awesome night.

2017-08-10 called to make reservation, arrived, was greeted by personnel, and seared immediately, Shawnah was our server and she was very nice and very good, she told us about the specials, we asked her for her recommendations, and we did almost all the specials available, we enjoyed the green tomato salad and new England clan chowder (tasted very unique), we also enjoyed the entrees (pan seared salmon and new York strip steak), Nikki let us in the door and remembered us and made us feel welcome, and Melissa stopped by our table to speak. Thank you Cochon on 2nd!

9 months prior, I said, Repeat customer. Excellent and unique dining experience. Food is great, personnel is great, decor and menu is excellent!