Joe's Inn is fine. The food's okay. You won't leave hungry. It's reasonably priced and if you like baked spaghetti just like you had it in 1978 you're going to be quite happy with your meal.
Like a lot of the long running restaurants it's nothing special, but it's exactly the same thing*every* time, and there's something to be said about that kind of consistency.
This, it was walking distance from my old place, it’s walking distance from my new place, and it’s just like a nice little walk. Very easy and reliable place for a mimosa and a greasy breakfast.
I have found my people! I feel this on two levels- 1) I also have an imaginary feud between two restaurants- 2 pupuserias next door to each other on Glebe Rd up in Arlington. 2) I haven’t been to Bosna but have been to Bosnia and would also choose it over other Balkan countries!
Oh man, Aunt Sarah’s closing hit me hard. I’ve been here for 10 years now and it’s where my husband and I would go on election days after we voted to drown our sorrows with gravy.
I spilt my coffee in Garnetts because the window table was wobbly. I don’t think I can ever go back now. How embarrassing.
I bet the staff thinks about it all the time.
I know I do.
I know :( worst part is I was on a date.
I abruptly left without saying anything. I never texted her after our date. Why would I after what I did?
Gotta be because of the spilt coffee that she hasn’t reached out to me since.
Oh God.
i had a goal of trying as many new (to me) rva restaurants as possible before graduating and when i look back on the list of places i can maybe remember 2 of them bc the rest were so agressively nothing
Ukrops used to be a grocery store. It was pretty good. Martins also used to be a grocery store, it wasn't very good. Publix is a grocery store. It's fine.
Like the time my parents threw a party at their home for the neighborhood. Bobby and Jayne came and Bobby was so appalled by the beer on ice in the kitchen sink that he started actively and loudly complaining to the other houseguests. So my dad kicked them out.
Or how about that shitty yellow lab of theirs named JR (after the character from Dallas), who they left unleashed to roam around and terrorize the neighborhood. The dog literally killed pine trees in our wooded back yard by chewing all the bark off the base of the trees.
Or the time my dad asked Bobby to please leave a small number of trees between our homes so we could have some natural privacy, but instead Bobby tore them all down to install a soccer field in his backyard for his kid. My father, never missing a chance to be petty, responded by engaging in a Sunday morning ritual of sitting out on his deck (which faced their property) in just his boxer shorts with a tall bloody mary and a cigarette, reading his novels. If I recall the story correctly, dad took a piss off the deck at the exact moment they were packing into their station wagon to go to church.
There's more, but that may be sufficient for now.
I go for the half-off deals, niche higher-end ingredients that other stores don't carry, and the specialty items like the wings & subs. Never for normal groceries.
There are far too many Mexican restaurants in shockoe bottom, with another set to open soon.
La Bamba is the best one- please visit. The manager told us things have been slow for a while.
Kitchen / wet towels / like old bleach water? I do have a sensitive nose but it’s noticeable to me. Not sure if it’s the building because it’s always smelled funny or the type of cleaner they use.
In Shockoe Bottom? In the entire city of Richmond. Fair to the ones that serve authentic food, or street -style vendors. But there are FAR too many mediocre places that serve chicken tacos or fajitas that are overpriced with meh margaritas.
Whisk overcooks their pastries, juuuuuust barely but it's noticeable in the smell and taste. I'm scared to be the naysayer when anyone I talk to loves them so much, but they're just okay.
OMG ... yes! I don't understand serving something like shrimp & grits with shell still on the last tail segment. What the hell am I supposed to do with that?!?
Otooles food is garbage but I keep going back. Must be the extremely cold beer. Sometimes they ask how I want my steak cooked. I always respond with “Does it matter”.
Okay I feel that. Don’t sleep on the chicken salad croissant with fries of your picking. Sometimes it has bacon on it, sometimes it doesn’t have cheese. It’s a fantastic betting game.
A lot of the best ethnic food is between Richmond city and Short pump. Not in the city.
Kinda near horsepen.
My vote for Hispanic food is usually Southside though.
Also charm school having a following when I visited they only had 2 flavors of ice cream chocolate and vanilla was just so underwhelming.
Speaking some truths here. Shout out to the corridor from Staples Mill/Broad to Horsepen/Regency area, lots of cool little spots that I’ve tried and have yet to try but look great.
so much good hispanic food on south side, like the tiendas have these restaurants tucked in the back which are very nice windowless spaces (seems cozy not confining) and last time I went my date asked for the check cuz I guess she had enough of my chit chat and I had to translate to the waitress what check was. Arco Iris and Amanecer markets, both on Midlothian turnpike between chippenham and belt boulevard, the city seems like young people and older affluent people, I sadly lack both youth and affluence
Do you guys know if the Mediterranean Deli on Quioccasin is still there? I think the owner was Lebanese. We used to go there any time we were in Richmond when I was a kid and now that I am moving back August 14 I am planning on hitting it for lunch August 15 if it is still open. And if it is not still open, I’m just going to be really sad.
I think you're talking about Study Hall, which is a shell of what Charm School was. Charm School actually had scoopable flavors plus 4-5 vegan flavors on a good day. Study Hall is simple soft serve and that's it.
Charm School is so mid and they obviously hate the customer service of it all. That place was the worst and I still kept going because all my friends liked it.
Charging more than $8 for a sandwich or burger when it doesn’t come with a side of anything (especially fries) is fucking nonsense and everyone knows it.
The dumb crowd funded bit was the reason it took me years and a situation of convenience to avail myself of it. The empty VIP upper tier deck is a reminder of its douchey conception.
Oak & Apple should bring back their "que-tine." I loved it, and haven't seen any other restaurants offering a similar poutine-style BBQ entree. Can't get my fix
Description pulled from old menu online:
> Crispy steak fries topped with cheese curds, pulled pork bbq, and pork gravy.
I like their loaded steak fries too but it's not the same. If anywhere is/starts cooking this, I'll show up
Waffle House is undefeated not bad food - sometimes it’s great but it’s always not bad
And as a bonus you can get a two piece for free if you start acting up
Hard to find a bar/restaurant/lounge open late, I get off at 1am when they all close and there seems to be nothing to do.
Nothing more, just kinda annoyed there's no night life anymore.
I worked there in 2008, and despite it being heavily on the decline as far as business goes, it was a super fun job to have. Loved my coworkers, and the food was solidly ok. I miss the vibe of that place.
Most local restaurants are alright. I truly don't get the "food scene" craze here but maybe it's because there is nothing for an hour in each direction that challenges this food scene. Most cities have that "upcoming food scene" mentioned by magazines/internet articles".
I’ve had this take before. Then I moved to a place where most of the food was consistently trash. I came back and I’m just so pleased that you’re likely to eat a meal you enjoy. I realized there are places in the US, major places, that have 0 legitimately good restaurants.
I’ve been in a dozen different “food scene” cities across this country. They are all mostly fine/good, but there’s not a single city whose scene is as unique as they claim it to be. And that’s okay.
Richmond doesn't have great sushi. Even the best of the best on any discussion is like B-tier at best. Fine, passable, even pretty good, but you're not gonna get omakase or interesting seasonal nigiri/sashimi like you can get in NOVA or DC.
$16 rolls soaking in spicy mayo and eel sauce do not decent sushi make.
Honestly? Liberty Public House. It’s allegedly a queer owned/friendly space but the atmosphere is just so bland. There’s so much opportunity there that they aren’t recognizing in that neighborhood and it makes me sad. The drinks and food are fantastic but every time I’ve gone there, no music, no real liveliness. Just….quiet and people eating.
Kinda wish every bar was just the locker room to be honest. Nowhere else have I seen a 90 year old looking woman with a headscarf on just pounding PBRs
The Grill on Patterson's quality seems to have dropped a bit. Not bad enough to stop going, but no longer on an upward trajectory either. Still, I go there about ever other week because its close.
Moore Street Cafe is the best. We stopped in Richmond on our way home from the beach. It was the best meal I had on my entire vacation. Monday afternoon, so not crazy busy.
We need more dive bars in Richmond proper. We have enough neighborhood restaurant "bars," we have enough bars with $15+ cocktails, and we have enough hipster beer bars. I just want another 2 or 3 dives. I'm sick of going to the same two spots over and over. It gets too crowded, and when it does it's always new people who can't handle their liquor and act like dumbasses or start problems.
Facts. When I first moved here...2009 i think? There were actual CLUBS that you could go to. Given I only went a few times and they sucked but Tiki Bob's, Tobacco, etc were actually club spots. Now we have like those 2 bars that keep getting opened and closed because they keep shooting.
Fun fact Jake Crocker plays a part in the early days of my relationship with my now husband. One of those butterfly effect things where if Jake had been where he was supposed to be maybe my life would look very different
I recently moved here, so I do wonder what the night life scene was like years ago. I've only heard myths and stories of smoking inside, cheap drinks, no smart phones, etc
Richmond night life scene went downhill when the breweries came in.
So many people would just get hammered in Scott's from like 2/3 PM drink until 9 then start crashing.
I mean it makes sense but the bar scene is different than brewery scene.
My partner used to work at the radio stations back when (90s-2000s) and I tagged along to help out for "the club scene". They were usually owned by one shady person. My favorite is the "hidden bar" at Tiki Bob Cantina afterhours.
Half of the restaurants that everyone rants and raves about here are just okay. I found the food scene to be better in Charleston, SC or Savannah, especially for southern food. It’s missing something here.
I don't understand the big deal about Wood and Iron and all of the sister restaurants. Been to a couple of them. Everything about their menu looks and sound great, but I think the food is mostly bland unless it's drenched in some sort of sauce. Also the cheap plastic high school cafeteria plates are a big turn off for me.
Richmond is an adequate city with an adequate restaurant/bar scene.
Richmond's pizza is better than California's pizza but worse than New York's pizza.
You can't legally have a dedicated bar here, which only seems to expand the selection of sub-par food available.
There also seem to be a lot of seafood restaurants for a city that is not on the coast?
The Stella's Grocery near Pearly's smells like rancid oil always. I've been like 4 times in the past year and every. single. time. We asked the employees about it and they seem to have become immune to the smell. I thought I was nuts because I didn't notice anyone post about it on Yelp or Google either. That was until I brought my partner in and she was like "ew what is that smell". One time, we had to leave without getting anything it was so bad. Now we just call it the "rancid oil place" when we wanna stop in.
Whisk on main never makes my coffee the same and I walk out being charged differently each time. My drink can go from scalding hot one day to warm another. Just wish there was a bit of consistency there.
There are too many concepts, experiments, experiences, and such. I want a burger, not the conceptual realization of a beef patty surrounded by toppings.
I've experienced some truly horrible service here. One time my wife and I were at the Franklin Inn and our waitress just disappeared for 45 mins when we were trying to pay and leave. I stepped outside and she was getting a fucking haircut on the street.
Lucky Whale might have been the worst. Not surprised to see they shut down.
Visiting Portland was a big culture shock for me. A bartender disengaging in conversation with a group of attractive young women to greet us and take our order? Mind blowing.
Conversely I took the same friends to Kuba Kuba when they visited me here and they got a less pleasant shock. 😬
The Fuzzy Cactus has economical draft beer. I enjoy a pint or three as I watch exotic cocktails leave the service bar destined for other patrons. I have also left feeling much less hungry after a plate of wings that are usually served cooked.
This is not lukewarm or mild for me- this is a travesty that must be stopped in its tracks before it goes any farther:
There is an insidious erasure of almond milk happening in coffee shops all across Richmond. My beloved almond milk is being displaced in favor of oat milk and I am being offered said oat milk instead, much to my horror.
We must save almond milk in Richmond coffee shops.
Joe's Inn is fine. The food's okay. You won't leave hungry. It's reasonably priced and if you like baked spaghetti just like you had it in 1978 you're going to be quite happy with your meal.
Like a lot of the long running restaurants it's nothing special, but it's exactly the same thing*every* time, and there's something to be said about that kind of consistency.
Right, I left for ten years. Came back, same food, same quality and you know what that is just fine.
In 2019, I wouldn’t say “consistent and decent” was a positive review, but it definitely is now.
“It’s the greatest okay restaurant in the world” is what I always say.
[удалено]
This, it was walking distance from my old place, it’s walking distance from my new place, and it’s just like a nice little walk. Very easy and reliable place for a mimosa and a greasy breakfast.
I was there today for their Country Greek salad and it’s the bessssst.
lucky for me i always want baked spaghetti like i had it in 1978 (i was born in 2001)
Balkan restaurant serves rectangles of deep-fried feta. The market for such a product includes me.
[удалено]
The owner at Bosna is also one of the nicest people ever.
I have found my people! I feel this on two levels- 1) I also have an imaginary feud between two restaurants- 2 pupuserias next door to each other on Glebe Rd up in Arlington. 2) I haven’t been to Bosna but have been to Bosnia and would also choose it over other Balkan countries!
I love their goulash and paprikash. Last time we went our waitress was from Bulgaria.
Their french fries are absurdly good, too. Not the place I would have thought I'd say that about, but I stand by it.
No shit?!? That also includes me.
I think chicken and waffles should be mandated to say chicken tenders and a waffle if chicken tenders are being served.
i always hope it’s chicken tenders.
100% I don’t want to have to deal with bones during breakfast.
After Aunt Sarah's closed it left behind a breakfast void which has never been filled.
Oh man, Aunt Sarah’s closing hit me hard. I’ve been here for 10 years now and it’s where my husband and I would go on election days after we voted to drown our sorrows with gravy.
fresh squeezed orange machine
Social 52 used to (and may still have it) do a big, thin cutlet style piece of fried chicken on top of a waffle. 10/10.
I frequently go to Banditos because it is a 7 but an extremely consistent 7
Happy hour tacos
It’s a 7 if a 6 is a complete failure
I haven’t been there since Covid. I used to get the crawfish quesadilla
I’ve yet to find a place with equally sized burritos. They hit the spot.
I once ordered a chicken parm from Belmont Pizza and the guy on the phone asked if I wanted cheese on it
He probably couldn’t hear you over the incredibly loud music they play that prevents them from accurately taking orders.
Belmont has fallen off the hook. But everyone that works there is super nice. I really donno what’s going on.
I spilt my coffee in Garnetts because the window table was wobbly. I don’t think I can ever go back now. How embarrassing. I bet the staff thinks about it all the time. I know I do.
I’m pretty sure they called the police actually
Your story actually lives in infamy on a plaque in the back room. The staff talks about you when they train new folks. /s
You monster.
I know :( worst part is I was on a date. I abruptly left without saying anything. I never texted her after our date. Why would I after what I did? Gotta be because of the spilt coffee that she hasn’t reached out to me since. Oh God.
Bro...
Everytime I pass Garnetts I run as fast as my little legs can move while hoping no one notices and remembers.
The Richmond restaurant scene certainly serves food and charges for it.
I think it has some of the restaurants of all time
i had a goal of trying as many new (to me) rva restaurants as possible before graduating and when i look back on the list of places i can maybe remember 2 of them bc the rest were so agressively nothing
I would like all ghost kitchens to be banned.
Where are the ghosts supposed to work then?!
Spirit Halloween?
Ghost-phobic
👏👏👏
had a cigarette out back of capital ale once, it was okay.
I liked Cap Ale food best when I worked there and everything was free.
Ukrops used to be a grocery store. It was pretty good. Martins also used to be a grocery store, it wasn't very good. Publix is a grocery store. It's fine.
I was Bobby Ukrop's nextdoor neighbor in the 80's. It was weird. I have stories.
This comment deserves its own thread.
Like the time my parents threw a party at their home for the neighborhood. Bobby and Jayne came and Bobby was so appalled by the beer on ice in the kitchen sink that he started actively and loudly complaining to the other houseguests. So my dad kicked them out. Or how about that shitty yellow lab of theirs named JR (after the character from Dallas), who they left unleashed to roam around and terrorize the neighborhood. The dog literally killed pine trees in our wooded back yard by chewing all the bark off the base of the trees. Or the time my dad asked Bobby to please leave a small number of trees between our homes so we could have some natural privacy, but instead Bobby tore them all down to install a soccer field in his backyard for his kid. My father, never missing a chance to be petty, responded by engaging in a Sunday morning ritual of sitting out on his deck (which faced their property) in just his boxer shorts with a tall bloody mary and a cigarette, reading his novels. If I recall the story correctly, dad took a piss off the deck at the exact moment they were packing into their station wagon to go to church. There's more, but that may be sufficient for now.
IMO, Pube Licks is overpriced compared to Kroger.
It's suuuuper overpriced. But sometimes I want to go to a grocery store that is clean.
Yes you pay extra for the nice people that work there and the cleanliness. BOGOs are the way to go.
I go for the half-off deals, niche higher-end ingredients that other stores don't carry, and the specialty items like the wings & subs. Never for normal groceries.
They usually have some buy one get one free deals, and if you get a few of those in one tripI feel like it’s about the same as Kroger
You don't have to BOGO if you get one it's half price
I’m currently sitting on 16 twelve packs of sugar free Canada Dry cuz I thought I had to buy 8 to get 8, but now I know! That’s how they get you.
I go for the BOGO
It’s definitely over priced but Kroger never has everything I need in stock whereas Publix I can usually just make one trip
I’m fine with that. Kroger’s produce and meat selection is abysmal.
There are far too many Mexican restaurants in shockoe bottom, with another set to open soon. La Bamba is the best one- please visit. The manager told us things have been slow for a while.
I hate that it has a weird smell though. They need to fix that. I ate there last week and it was cheap, good, and everyone was lovely.
Can you describe the smell
Kitchen / wet towels / like old bleach water? I do have a sensitive nose but it’s noticeable to me. Not sure if it’s the building because it’s always smelled funny or the type of cleaner they use.
In Shockoe Bottom? In the entire city of Richmond. Fair to the ones that serve authentic food, or street -style vendors. But there are FAR too many mediocre places that serve chicken tacos or fajitas that are overpriced with meh margaritas.
Don't Look Back once served me a couple of tacos. I ate them.
i can’t explain why but i miss foo dog
Omg yes the Malaysian Ramen was life
The food is the same at Main Street Dragon and the alcohol is cheaper than when EAT owned it, unless you miss something else
Whisk overcooks their pastries, juuuuuust barely but it's noticeable in the smell and taste. I'm scared to be the naysayer when anyone I talk to loves them so much, but they're just okay.
omg thank you, I thought I was the only one
They’ve been shrinking their cookies since they were bought out. Smaller cookies. More expensive.
There are several places in town that serve a very good burger.
I miss 3rd Street Diner, mainly the fries. I mean you could get the same fries lots of places, but at 2 a.m. those just hit different.
The new owners of Barrio made the menu worse and still increased prices
Barrio was NEVER good imo
The only thing they really had going for them was the soft serve margarita
I used to work there - that marg was about 2% alcohol. You'd get drunker if you sipped out of the yuck puddle they've got in the basement
And Dim Sum has the worst dumplings I’ve ever had at a restaurant.
What’s with naming restaurants with “And” at the beginning? There’s &Pizza too.
I think it’s a play on the phrase “and then some”
People love to ask their server their life story and it is weird and uncomfortable for them most of the time.
Tails should be shelled from shrimp if the dish is not being eaten by hand.
OMG ... yes! I don't understand serving something like shrimp & grits with shell still on the last tail segment. What the hell am I supposed to do with that?!?
Otooles food is garbage but I keep going back. Must be the extremely cold beer. Sometimes they ask how I want my steak cooked. I always respond with “Does it matter”.
Ordering steak at O’Tooles is where you fucked up in the first place.
You are correct and I have no reply to that haha
Rueben and steak fries is my dependable order, simple and practiced enough they can hardly screw it up.
Okay I feel that. Don’t sleep on the chicken salad croissant with fries of your picking. Sometimes it has bacon on it, sometimes it doesn’t have cheese. It’s a fantastic betting game.
See, I wouldn’t order any mayonnaise based preparation at O’Tooles on general principle. But I admire you for your intrepid spirit!
Capital Ale House is a good place to take your grandparents.
I like going to the Innsbrook location in the spring to see the ducklings out back. They are a great marketing tool.
Or your coworkers.
That was the spot back in the day!
A lot of the best ethnic food is between Richmond city and Short pump. Not in the city. Kinda near horsepen. My vote for Hispanic food is usually Southside though. Also charm school having a following when I visited they only had 2 flavors of ice cream chocolate and vanilla was just so underwhelming.
Yep the best pupusas or tacos are located either on hull street or Jefferson Davis
Speaking some truths here. Shout out to the corridor from Staples Mill/Broad to Horsepen/Regency area, lots of cool little spots that I’ve tried and have yet to try but look great.
so much good hispanic food on south side, like the tiendas have these restaurants tucked in the back which are very nice windowless spaces (seems cozy not confining) and last time I went my date asked for the check cuz I guess she had enough of my chit chat and I had to translate to the waitress what check was. Arco Iris and Amanecer markets, both on Midlothian turnpike between chippenham and belt boulevard, the city seems like young people and older affluent people, I sadly lack both youth and affluence
Do you guys know if the Mediterranean Deli on Quioccasin is still there? I think the owner was Lebanese. We used to go there any time we were in Richmond when I was a kid and now that I am moving back August 14 I am planning on hitting it for lunch August 15 if it is still open. And if it is not still open, I’m just going to be really sad.
Yes still there! Just got lunch there a couple weeks ago
I think you're talking about Study Hall, which is a shell of what Charm School was. Charm School actually had scoopable flavors plus 4-5 vegan flavors on a good day. Study Hall is simple soft serve and that's it.
Charm School is so mid and they obviously hate the customer service of it all. That place was the worst and I still kept going because all my friends liked it.
I feel like we don't have any amazing Italian restaurants, they're all just fine. I think I like Italian food, but I'm just never impressed.
Lost letter is the only one that has impressed me so far
I didn’t LOVE Kuba Kuba. I want to love it so bad, but I just thought the food I got was okay. I had an okay time.
Their cuban coffee is heavenly. The rest of the menu is decent but nothing to write home about
Seafood Paella is the move
Did you eat the huevos rancheros?
Charging more than $8 for a sandwich or burger when it doesn’t come with a side of anything (especially fries) is fucking nonsense and everyone knows it.
I enjoyed the tenders at New York Deli but the rooftop was too hot to be enjoyable.
And while they were crowdfunding the deck, why didn't they include a dumb waiter rather than have a poor guy schlep up and down stairs with the food.
The dumb crowd funded bit was the reason it took me years and a situation of convenience to avail myself of it. The empty VIP upper tier deck is a reminder of its douchey conception.
Oak & Apple should bring back their "que-tine." I loved it, and haven't seen any other restaurants offering a similar poutine-style BBQ entree. Can't get my fix Description pulled from old menu online: > Crispy steak fries topped with cheese curds, pulled pork bbq, and pork gravy. I like their loaded steak fries too but it's not the same. If anywhere is/starts cooking this, I'll show up
I used to work there; this was the worst thing to make it was so gross (more for you)
> it was so gross (more for you) You're right it's so gross (more for me) But actually none for anybody :( Thank you for your service
Waffle House is undefeated not bad food - sometimes it’s great but it’s always not bad And as a bonus you can get a two piece for free if you start acting up
Oh, we should actually have some bars.
its a virginia law thing, places have to serve 51% food and 49% alcohol so we have to have breweries
Hard to find a bar/restaurant/lounge open late, I get off at 1am when they all close and there seems to be nothing to do. Nothing more, just kinda annoyed there's no night life anymore.
I used to like En Su Boca. Now it’s lame.
Despite what the menu said, my nopales salad at Lolita’s had no avocado or dressing. It also had a surprisingly small amount of nopales.
Lolita’s is so mediocre. If it weren’t for the nice aesthetics and their location, they’d be out of business already.
Def not lukewarm. I’m swinging if my nopales, avocado, AND dressing are missing/lacking
😂 My complaint is more lukewarm than the reality of the situation, that’s what I was going for.
I miss Spinnaker's
I miss the outdoor dining, which was inside of the mall.
Sometimes I think I’m going to take on making a copycat of their flowerpot bread as a project. But I have yet to do it. One of these days…..
I worked there in 2008, and despite it being heavily on the decline as far as business goes, it was a super fun job to have. Loved my coworkers, and the food was solidly ok. I miss the vibe of that place.
it would be cool if postbellum returned. their rooftop was my favorite in the city
Most local restaurants are alright. I truly don't get the "food scene" craze here but maybe it's because there is nothing for an hour in each direction that challenges this food scene. Most cities have that "upcoming food scene" mentioned by magazines/internet articles".
I’ve had this take before. Then I moved to a place where most of the food was consistently trash. I came back and I’m just so pleased that you’re likely to eat a meal you enjoy. I realized there are places in the US, major places, that have 0 legitimately good restaurants.
Martinsville/Bassett Virginia have the WORST restaurants. They make ALL Richmond restaurants look good.
It’s way behind where it was pre COVID. 2018/2019 was the apex of local richmond restaurants.
IDK all the EAT restaurants are solid but kinda overpriced.
I’ve been in a dozen different “food scene” cities across this country. They are all mostly fine/good, but there’s not a single city whose scene is as unique as they claim it to be. And that’s okay.
I am pretty sure I’ve gone to the Tavern a few times. Can’t remember what I ate but I will probably go again, maybe.
I went to Hobnob the other day and had a satisfying meal.
Richmond doesn't have great sushi. Even the best of the best on any discussion is like B-tier at best. Fine, passable, even pretty good, but you're not gonna get omakase or interesting seasonal nigiri/sashimi like you can get in NOVA or DC. $16 rolls soaking in spicy mayo and eel sauce do not decent sushi make.
Fighting Fish is pretty decent imo, esp. the chirashi.
Our skyline is acceptable for a city of our size. No real stand out buildings but the scale indicates a city exists here.
Yet virtually all of the more prominent buildings are the most ugly-mediocre in design.
Sticky rice has the worst sushi in all of Richmond
I miss Black Sheep so hard right now
Honestly? Liberty Public House. It’s allegedly a queer owned/friendly space but the atmosphere is just so bland. There’s so much opportunity there that they aren’t recognizing in that neighborhood and it makes me sad. The drinks and food are fantastic but every time I’ve gone there, no music, no real liveliness. Just….quiet and people eating.
I’ve been wanting to say this for a while. Mellow Mushroom is wildly overrated.
It’s rated?
Wish I could get cucumber and avocado on the chicken salad sandwich at union market without an up charge.
The Locker Room - that is all and everything you need to know
Kinda wish every bar was just the locker room to be honest. Nowhere else have I seen a 90 year old looking woman with a headscarf on just pounding PBRs
Cocaine and K should be reserved for bathrooms and not the patio
This was always the rule Idk why people just stopped caring a few years back
The Grill on Patterson's quality seems to have dropped a bit. Not bad enough to stop going, but no longer on an upward trajectory either. Still, I go there about ever other week because its close.
the mexican trash can at juan’s rooftop will get you drunk, and i appreciate that.
Moore Street Cafe is the best. We stopped in Richmond on our way home from the beach. It was the best meal I had on my entire vacation. Monday afternoon, so not crazy busy.
I haven't had a good white sauce since Mi Hacienda closed.
I ordered a dish and asked for no cheese. The server responded "you know that has chicken in it?" I've thought about it probably once a week since.
We need more dive bars in Richmond proper. We have enough neighborhood restaurant "bars," we have enough bars with $15+ cocktails, and we have enough hipster beer bars. I just want another 2 or 3 dives. I'm sick of going to the same two spots over and over. It gets too crowded, and when it does it's always new people who can't handle their liquor and act like dumbasses or start problems.
No one has owned the Richmond nightlife scene quite like Jake Crocker since his restaurants went under.
Facts. When I first moved here...2009 i think? There were actual CLUBS that you could go to. Given I only went a few times and they sucked but Tiki Bob's, Tobacco, etc were actually club spots. Now we have like those 2 bars that keep getting opened and closed because they keep shooting.
Tiki Slob's !
50 cent tacos and PBRs! We used to be a real country
Fun fact Jake Crocker plays a part in the early days of my relationship with my now husband. One of those butterfly effect things where if Jake had been where he was supposed to be maybe my life would look very different
I recently moved here, so I do wonder what the night life scene was like years ago. I've only heard myths and stories of smoking inside, cheap drinks, no smart phones, etc
Richmond night life scene went downhill when the breweries came in. So many people would just get hammered in Scott's from like 2/3 PM drink until 9 then start crashing. I mean it makes sense but the bar scene is different than brewery scene.
My partner used to work at the radio stations back when (90s-2000s) and I tagged along to help out for "the club scene". They were usually owned by one shady person. My favorite is the "hidden bar" at Tiki Bob Cantina afterhours.
Tell us more about the hidden bar.
Sushi King is good enough when you’ve got a taste for sushi but don’t want to spend a lot of money.
Consider giving Sushi Masa a try. They’re located in the old Super King Buffet location on Broad. Way better rolls and ambience!
Chioccas. Nuff said.
I’ve barely eaten out since the pandemic and I don’t miss it.
Half of the restaurants that everyone rants and raves about here are just okay. I found the food scene to be better in Charleston, SC or Savannah, especially for southern food. It’s missing something here.
The Pizza Place has some pretty decent “New York-style” pizza
Best ordering experience in the city too. Ordering a pizza over the phone is so fast it's funny.
I don't understand the big deal about Wood and Iron and all of the sister restaurants. Been to a couple of them. Everything about their menu looks and sound great, but I think the food is mostly bland unless it's drenched in some sort of sauce. Also the cheap plastic high school cafeteria plates are a big turn off for me.
Nothing to write home about …. Just a sports bar for real. But their steak and cheese eggrolls slap.
Richmond is an adequate city with an adequate restaurant/bar scene. Richmond's pizza is better than California's pizza but worse than New York's pizza. You can't legally have a dedicated bar here, which only seems to expand the selection of sub-par food available. There also seem to be a lot of seafood restaurants for a city that is not on the coast?
If you take a close up photo of a blue corn tortilla it looks like a planet
The Stella's Grocery near Pearly's smells like rancid oil always. I've been like 4 times in the past year and every. single. time. We asked the employees about it and they seem to have become immune to the smell. I thought I was nuts because I didn't notice anyone post about it on Yelp or Google either. That was until I brought my partner in and she was like "ew what is that smell". One time, we had to leave without getting anything it was so bad. Now we just call it the "rancid oil place" when we wanna stop in.
Whisk on main never makes my coffee the same and I walk out being charged differently each time. My drink can go from scalding hot one day to warm another. Just wish there was a bit of consistency there.
Bonchon is a tasty treat, and I don't care about the location, and I don't care that it's a chain, and I don't care how authentically Korean it is.
Kitchen 64 was a serviceable eatery. The new place that's moved in there doesn't interest me.
There are too many concepts, experiments, experiences, and such. I want a burger, not the conceptual realization of a beef patty surrounded by toppings.
I miss 23rd & Main
You really realize how bad service is in Richmond when you go to another city.
I've experienced some truly horrible service here. One time my wife and I were at the Franklin Inn and our waitress just disappeared for 45 mins when we were trying to pay and leave. I stepped outside and she was getting a fucking haircut on the street. Lucky Whale might have been the worst. Not surprised to see they shut down.
Visiting Portland was a big culture shock for me. A bartender disengaging in conversation with a group of attractive young women to greet us and take our order? Mind blowing. Conversely I took the same friends to Kuba Kuba when they visited me here and they got a less pleasant shock. 😬
kuba kuba was ok
Dot's has a nice brunch.
Sitting outdoors, I found Cobra Cabana's ordering model a little confusing.
Mi Jalisco has bacon chicken enchiladas and they are satisfying.
Starting at Little nickel and ending at the locker room is a date that might end in marriage.
LUNCH.SUPPER! serves lunch and supper. Their new/ old location Brunch Jr. serves brunch.
Melito's has a loyal following out in the West End. They don't really have a lot of options, and their world famous hot dogs are just ok.
I legitimately thought it was an Italian restaurant when I first moved here/was first looking at restaurants.
The Fuzzy Cactus has economical draft beer. I enjoy a pint or three as I watch exotic cocktails leave the service bar destined for other patrons. I have also left feeling much less hungry after a plate of wings that are usually served cooked.
This is not lukewarm or mild for me- this is a travesty that must be stopped in its tracks before it goes any farther: There is an insidious erasure of almond milk happening in coffee shops all across Richmond. My beloved almond milk is being displaced in favor of oat milk and I am being offered said oat milk instead, much to my horror. We must save almond milk in Richmond coffee shops.