dobbin house tavern

greatdiningspot. great food in delightful setting. excellent for tourists without being "touristy."

my husband and i had our wedding reception there in the abigail adams ballroom. i honestly don't remember what the food tasted like that day, so we decided to go back for an anniversary dinner. thediningexperience was unique in that we werediningin the library section of the house. the wait staff was incredibly attentive, and the food was amazing. i ordered the gettystown shrimp and my husband ordered the steak. we were pleasantly surprised that not only did it taste great, but the portions were large as well. highly recommend this place.

unique,casualdiningexperience in the springhouse tavern. this colonial tavern, which is gettysburg oldest standing building, is set among 3 natural springs and 2 glowing fireplaces. there are candles at each table as well as at the bar, which is where we sat. thediningtables are communal style-like at hofbraus house if you are familiar with there. it opens at 11:30am, we arrived at 12:15pm, and were able to grab the last two seats at the bar. apparently thediningroom was already on a 45 minute wait. going back to the history of the house, it was also used as a stop on the underground railroad and you can go tour upstairs and see the crawlspace that was the main hiding place. all of the walls are stone and the handcarved woodwork has been restored throughout the tavern to it's original 1800s appearance. all of the staff wears period clothing which is another neat point of interest. now onto thediningexperience....
we each ordered a beer (troegs perpetual ipa for me and yuengling for him)and it came served in a goblet as it would have back during the civil war era. service was very friendly and quick. i chose to do the "gill of porridge and 1/2 sandwich". i chose to substitute the baked king's onion soup for the porridge. for the sandwich i chose 1/2 of a turkey sandwich on wheat with lettuce and tomato-dijon on the side. it came with a choice of side too and i chose potato salad (other choices were chips or coleslaw). the soup came first and instead of a cup it was a massive bowl! it was very freshly made with chunks of beef in the soup and lots of onions. the cheese ontop was plentiful and the pieces of bread in the soup were delicious too. this was handsdown the best french onion soup i have ever eaten! only way it could have been improved was if it were served a bit warmer. my boyfriend ended up finishing it for me since there was such a huge portion. the sandwich was basic-no explanation needed. it was ok. the potato salad was really,really tasty with a bit of a mustard taste to it which i enjoy. my boyfriend ordered th e dobbin's hot beef sandwich-tender roast beef piled high on a hearth baked roll. served up with its own juices for dipping. he chose coleslaw for his side. he said this is the sandwich he always gets and he was practically salivating coming into town looking forward to this sandwich! we will be back here the next time we are in gettysburg and i highly recommend this as a must-see destination while in town.

reviews misleading. we were so looking forward to dinner in the alexander dobbinsdiningroom (we were seated in the library). alas, the food did not live up to the hype. the onion soup was tasty if you like tons of cheese and a bit of soup. our entrees were mediocre at best. my husband had one of the crab dishes-just cooked lump crab with a taste of butter; not the menu description. i ordered the small portion of prime rib medium rare-it arrived cooked to medium at best, about a quarter-inch 'thick' slice, and almost cold.
our waitress was wonderful especially since she was doing everything-no one to bus tables, serve water or bread.
this is mainly a tourist trap with most of the 'crafts' made in china.

loved it! the tavern is the casualdiningwhich is in the cellar. the food was great as was the service. it is a small space so i would definitely go early or check on reservations. we will definitely eat here again.

best ribs around. we always eat in the basement tavern where the ribs are the meat eaters meal of choice. you can't get themin the the upstairsdiningroom and frankly the ambiance in the basement is just too cool to pass up. you will love everything about this place.

exceptional ambience, good food. grade: b

this is an old favorite. it's like coming home.

for years, trips to gettysburg have included a stop at the springhouse tavern, the informal basement bar anddiningroom of the dobbin house. as long as you know what to expect, this can be a good idea.

the dobbin house is a stone house dating to 1776. it served as a stop on the underground railroad, and you can see a hiding place used by runaway slaves before the civil war. upstairs is a higher-end restaurant and a gift shop unfortunately filled with vera bradley purses and other holly hobby schlock. you'll probably have to see this while waiting for a table.

downstairs, the springhouse tavern is dim, lit by candle and low overhead light. its stone walls and wooden ceiling beams, combined with rustic furniture and the staff's quasi-19th century clothing give exceptional ambience. on a hot summer day, the cool air is very refreshing.

sandwiches and soups are the mainstay downstairs, although they also offer steaks, chicken, and seafood. the sandwiches, served with chips, slaw, or potato salad, are good, not the least bit skimpy, and very satisfying. a troeg's or yeungling, both pennsylvania beers, go well with the sandwich.

menu-wise, though, the best thing here is the french onion soup. this is made with a rich beef stock that merges nicely with the onion, pieces of beef, and crouton. served in a regular bowl, it is covered with a ton of cheese that is melted to a beautiful golden brown. even if you've been in 100 degree heat all day, this will be the way you want to rehydrate.

note: a couple of things to take into account if you plan to come here. first, if you are coming during tourist season, be prepared for a wait. even around 2 p.m. on a sunday, we were given a vibrating puck to summon us after 25 minutes. you'll be best off stopping for either an early or a late lunch.

dobbin house staff usually do okay with regard to service, but there may be delays because it is so busy. turning out sandwiches with a handful of potato chips ought to be quicker. (late entry: the most recent visit was speedy and efficient. the bartender was a woman who could keep many plates spinning successfully.)

note: verizon cell reception doesn't work in the basement tavern...remember to turn you phone off if you want to save your battery.

if you have a little time and want great atmosphere with a side of lunch, give dobbin house a try.