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All 221 Williamsburg Restaurants »

La Yaca

Village Shops at Kingsmill, 1915 Pocahontas Trail, Williamsburg, VA 23185-5663
757 220 3616
Ranked #6 of 221 restaurants in Williamsburg
4.5 of 5 stars 102 Reviews
Price range: 32 AUD - 56 AUD
Cuisines: French
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Restaurant details
Good for: Romantic, Business, Special Occasion Dining, Entertaining clients
Dining options: Breakfast/Brunch, Lunch Spot, Dinner, Reservations, After-hours, Dessert
Dining style: Casual Elegant
Description: Le Yaca began in a tiny, country village(Courchevel)in the French Alps in 1964.Daniele Bourderau & Gerard decided that it would be fun to open a small restaurant. When friends learned of their plans they told the hopeful restaurateurs that they were crazy to think that people would drive 8 kilometers on a winding, icy road for dinner.Daniele and Gerard hesitated for 3 months and then decided: “yaca le faire,” a contraction of the French phrase “ il n’y a qu’a le faire” which basically means “let’s do it.” They called the restaurant Le Yaca as a gag. But the name caught on with customers, who were amused by the pun and contributed to the restaurant’s lore by inventing “yaca-isms ” of their own: yaca y aller (let’s go). Daniele came to the United States & opened Le Yaca in Williamsburg.Daniel Abid bought le Yaca in 2001. Daniel worked and trained in such prestigious places as “Le Pre Catelan” and “Lenotre” in Paris; “L’Amandier” and “Roger Verge" and to top it all off “Alain Ducasse.”
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102 reviews from our community

86% Recommend
    80
    8
    5
    5
    4
Rating summary
    Food
    Service
    Value
    Atmosphere
Date Rating
Seattle, Washington
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 15 May 2012

we have gone to most of the better restaurants in the area over the last 4 years while i daughter was in college, but we just recently discovered la yaca. the meal was excellent by ANY standards. the favorite entre at out table was the peppercorn... beef. the favorite dessert was a dense chocolate with raspberry sorbet. service was perfect... More

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Richmond, Virginia
Contributor
14 reviews 14 reviews
Reviews in 7 cities Reviews in 7 cities
16 helpful votes 16 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 14 May 2012
1
person found this review helpful

We recently visited the restaurant for Mother’s Day diner. The food is exquisite, the desserts are delicious, and the wine list very impressive, the service is absolutely impeccable but very slows at first (we had to wait 6 minutes for water) The restaurant is a descent size with many rooms, so you feel like walking in a big house. The... More

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Southeasten Virginia
Senior Contributor
30 reviews 30 reviews
Reviews in 12 cities Reviews in 12 cities
30 helpful votes 30 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 10 May 2012

No other restaurant compares to the quality of food, the service and atmosphere as Le Yaca. It is noted here as "La Yaca", but the correct name of the restaurant is Le Yaca. We recently treated our friends to their Sunday brunch. The food was exceptional as well as the service. Every detail is perfect. The chocolate croissants that are... More

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See 15 more reviews by ShenandoahBabe for Williamsburg
Contributor
11 reviews 11 reviews
Reviews in 10 cities Reviews in 10 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 29 April 2012

Great Williamsburg restaurant. Food in on par with Fat Canary -or perhaps a little better. Rooms are quiet and relaxing. Service is more European: they allow you to dine and the enjoy the company, cocktails, and food. If your used to a faster pace (like me), you'll need to take a deep breath and relax. Once I accepted the 'dining'... More

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Rochester, New York
Contributor
17 reviews 17 reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 23 April 2012

Entrees ranging from duck with orange zest and white peach to steak au poivre. The prix fixe is a great deal with three course offerings. I have been there twice and not been disappointed with any of the selections, even the ones that I would normally veer away from. The chef is amazing. The service and the overall experience is... More

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See 5 more reviews by Drama S for Williamsburg
N. C.
Senior Reviewer
8 reviews 8 reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 19 April 2012

We went to La Yaca on a Thursday because they have a weekly lamb dinner cooked over an open flame that is to-die -for! Lamb is one our favorite entres and we were delighted to find a restaurant that serves it so perfectly. Service there is wonderful and the staff has obviously been well-trained. The owner who by the way... More

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See 5 more reviews by NCPicante for Williamsburg
Senior Contributor
22 reviews 22 reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 17 April 2012

This restaurant tries to be a chic nyc french restaurant, but it would never make it in nyc. The menu is limited , almost not existant for vegetarians and people with allergies. The food was very good, just to limiting, staff professional but english was hard for them to understand, I had more choices for my allergy when I was... More

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See 14 more reviews by cauliflower_queen for Williamsburg
Vinton, VA
Senior Reviewer
10 reviews 10 reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 14 April 2012

Le Yaca was our favorite meal of our stay in Williamsburg! My husband and I came for a late reservation (9:00) and were worried that we would be rushed about. This was not at all the case. In fact, the waiter and owner seemed to be encouraging us to take our time and enjoy our meal. We both had the... More

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See 4 more reviews by mrswoodluvsdogs for Williamsburg
Potomac, MD
Senior Contributor
49 reviews 49 reviews
Reviews in 23 cities Reviews in 23 cities
25 helpful votes 25 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 13 April 2012

This restaurant is always outstanding. From the fresh bread and fine butter to the elegant entrees and desserts. Currently, every Thursday evening, they cook lamb legs by the fire. It's the best lamb dish I have ever tasted. Wow. You shouldn't miss this one. The salads, onion soups, and desserts are also fantastic. My favorite dessert is the tiramisu. Best... More

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See 13 more reviews by JaimeSommers for Williamsburg
Williamsburg, VA
Contributor
11 reviews 11 reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 12 April 2012
1
person found this review helpful

We are locals. In our opinion, La Yaca is the best restaurant in Williamsburg. The restaurant is attractive, with several rooms or nooks. The ambiance is calm and blessedly quiet. Tables are set far enough apart that diners can converse without straining to hear one another. We have been to La Yaca many times; without exception, the food has been... More

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See 4 more reviews by Retireerecent for Williamsburg

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