Rappahannock

First let me say… amazing oysters, especially the «oysters and pearls» appetizer! Great cocktails as well. Reason for 3 star… not great service. Had to return swordfish sandwich because it was not good (smelled and tasted old). Not one comment of concern or apology from any staff person whatsoever. Replacement order was the crab cake sandwich (which was very good).

Come for the oysters… leave with a smile!
Yes, this restaurant is Richmond-​famous. So an early evening trip was planned to avoid the crowds and long wait times. We came for oysters, and boy did we get some awesome oysters. Sat at the bar, and my initial reaction was hesitant because there was a kid about 7 years of age and a baby about 2 years old, perched at the bar with some adults. While I am not sure of the liquor laws in VA, I have to question a parents’ judgement to want their child to sit at the bar instead of a regular dining table. I also didn’t understand why such a top-​notch establishment would allow it either. It just made me feel uncomfortable. Nevertheless, we ordered a couple sets of the daily special oysters (Snow Hill and Olde Salt), some clams, and the bartender was able to appease my palate with a fantastic bourbon to boot. I was happy, and will return to bring friends… when there aren’t kids at the bar.

Came here for lunch and was very excited to sample their lunch menu. Had the oysters and pearls which was 6 rappahanock half shells with bourbon and trout eggs. It was so fresh and the taste refreshing!
Service was attentive, friendly.
Parking is either street metered or public lot parking.

Nice cozy bar with a lot going on. I did not order any food but the choices looked amazing. I sat near the ouster shuckers and enjoyed the entrainment. The one thing I can praise is the happy hour drinks. I had the old fashioned and it was one of, if not, the best drinks I had. And it was only like $ 6.00. I could have just sat there and drank away if I didn’t have an engagement soon after. Service was great and friendly.

After some oysters and a cocktail next door, we moved over to Rappahannock to a wonderful meal. Based on the bartenter reccomendation from Rapp Session, I ordered the Yellowfin Tuna. I usually find most restaurants overcook tuna but I didn’t have to worry here. It was just right with unusual sides of turnips and a black garlic sauce. Other favorites are the oysters, of course, the grilled octopus and prawns.
They have an excellent wine and beer list and service is professional but not intrusive. We don’t come as often as I would like because it is often too busy and I prefer or more relaxed atmosphere but when we get there at the right time, Rappahannock is a really special place.

Food Deserves a 4. Customer accommodation deserves a 2. If you can get over the idea the customer is secondary to their mission, it would be a good choice.
Very good food presented very well. Ambience was good. Flexibility in preparation is nill so check out the menu before moving.
Here with a party of four.
Started off with half dozen rappahanock oysters. Good but did not come with Tabasco. Waitress seems put off that we would ask for something the restaurant did not automatically provide with the food.
The rest of the meal was overshadowed by the arrogance of the staff. It is an arrogance that is obviously passed down by the chef — an attitude of don’t you dare ask me to serve anything I don’t think fits within my vision.
Really surprised Richmonders put up with this. There are so many choices in Richmond that serve food as good, if not better, and appreciate the patron.
First visit was the last.

I had lunch here on Friday, April 7 and found the lamb burger to be good. A little undercooked, but I was hungry and didn’t mind too much. The bartender was very friendly and shared a lot about the different beers on tap and a lot about the restaurant menu.

This is definitely my go to spot in Richmond. The staff is wonderful and the food is great! I normally get a few cocktails from the bar and their bartending staff are all top notch mixologist. Last night I had the bartender surprise me with a dealers choice and was impressed with the drink he whipped up. It was called the Suburban (mixture of bourbon and port wine). I also had oysters and the Pig and Pickle plate.
I would like to come on a weekday so I can get there for happy hour which is dollar oysters and discounted cocktails.
If you are in the area I would check this place out.

Awesome restaurant, our waitress was very nice, chill atmosphere, and food came out pretty quick, especially for a group of 8.
I ordered the grilled bistro steak with a pimento cheese appetizer. The steak had a great taste but was unevenly cooked, I ordered medium, one cut was medium rare-​ish and the other was more on the well side. The pimento cheese was the best I have ever had. Despite the steak, I will definitely come back again.

On the fence about whether to come back. Nice restaurant and nice staff. Feels a little trendy but absolutely not off-​putting. Menu is interesting and original but I thought the dinners and appetizers we all had lacked a little flavor. Almost like they were made with a little less than what we was needed. Love the wine list because it gives you adorable descriptions line fatty, plumb, cherry juice and fresh lime zest — so if you’re unfamiliar with the label you have an idea what to try. I had than branzini and it was undercooked. Thus absolutely took it back without question and comped it but it was bit disappointing. I think I’d try it again as is a great location and a nice atmosphere.

After seeing Rappahannock consistently listed as one of Richmond’s best restaurants, my husband and I went in for dinner on a Sunday night. We got a table immediately and were soon enjoying well-​made cocktails and the oysters that seemed to be the restaurant’s specialty. But I was blown away by my paella entrée. It was one of the best meals I’ve ever had (and that’s saying something). My husband had similar feelings about his scallops preparation. Our food was so good that we uncharacteristically ordered dessert too, choosing their take on S’mores. It didn’t disappoint. I hope we get a chance to go back soon!

The first time there was a great and delicious experience. My second visit makes me wonder if I’ll ever go back. Very noisy. Waitress was ok but certainly not a good night for her. They were out of their main oysters which is hard to believe when they own the oyster company. They were out of six items. It was such a disappointment because it was the restaurant I wanted to take out of town guests too eat.

National geographic recommended it as one of the best places to eat in Richmond so we had to try it out. Great décor, very rustic, centered around a huge bar and diverse cocktail menu. I had the mescal old fashioned, very we done with the right amount of smokiness.
For dinner, we tried the baked oysters, great flavor but needed a bit more salt. The whole grilled fish was an amazing branzino with just the right amount of char. I was hesitant about the raisins and and almonds but they really added a nice crunch and sweetness that brought the whole dish together. My date had the pork belly, which was fantastic but the Ho cake didn’t add much and the texture distracted from the flavor. Once pushed aside though, the whole dish was really well done.
Ideal date spot with great cocktail menu and food that excites the palate.

Cold scallops, salty veggie, Dry harmony farm pork which is Market Price. This sums up the experience. Feb 13, 2016.

Higher end seafood joint. What the menu lacks in variety it makes up in service and atmosphere. The bar area was alive with action but not too distracting or anything that makes dining at a table less than desirable.
Had the smoked yellowtail and was not disappointed. The emperor rice was delicious and a new one for me.
Wish they had a surf n turf option but for the diehard seafood lover, you’ll find something you like.

Friday was my man’s 40^th birthday and as he is a huge seafood fan, I decided to take him to a place we had not been as a surprise. When we arrived the place was already packed. He typically hates going to places and being sat in the back of the restaurant or crammed in between people. I had requested something nice done for his birthday. They sat us at a great table near the bar and window, which he loved because of the view. We sat down and the menus had been printed with ‘happy 40^th birthday” which he noticed right away and was really surprised. Our server was prompt, sweet, funny and truly gave us a great experience that I am so grateful for having being I had read mixed reviews for service.
We had the pork n pickles, wood charred octopus and two custom bourbon drinks made by the bartender. All of it was DELICIOUS. We then ordered the whole fish of the day, red snapper, and rockfish and oyster dish. Again, the whole fish was crispy and well cooked with great tomatillo rice and sauteed dark greens. The rockfish was delicate and the poached egg on toast was yolky and tender.
We chose to split the honeycomb pear panna cotta and when it came the server brought it out with a candle and two complimentary glasses of sparkling wine and thanked us for having his birthday dinner there.
I couldn’t have asked for a better experience, especially for him, being he is picky and hard to surprise. I want to thank Rappahannock for making his birthday truly special and we can’t wait to come back and try more.
Yes, it is loud there, but for us it was okay because nobody is intruding on your conversations. If you’re not into loud restaurants and want more of a quaint personal setting, I wouldn’t recommend it. For everything else they nailed it.

Damn what a great place to eat. The food is outstanding. Atmosphere is great. The wait-​staff are friendly and attentive. I have nothing, absolutely nothing bad to say about this place.
Oysters are great. Try those. definitely worth it.

Fantastic
Cannot wait for them to open up their restaurant shopping next-​door the little store with all the cheeses wonderful wonderful wonderful

Great fresh seafood. Service was wonderful. Cocktails were different but delicious. The apple pie dessert was amazing!

Finally had a chance to try Rappahannock. Since my wife doesn’t eat seafood I had to hold off for a while. But delay no more! Richmond is obviously lacking seafood options and Rappahannock hits the mark. We tried the oysters Rappahannock, pig and pickles app, scallops, paella, and tuna mains followed by apple cobbler and coffees. All worth eating. Obviously the place is known for their oysters but we really enjoyed the mains. I’d dare to say the scallops were some of the best I’ve had. Typically I find scallop meals bland and boring but the bed of green made for a flavor combo that really worked and made the whole dish more complex and worthwhile. The only criticism is the price for half shell oysters seemed high and the décor was cold and industrial. But did I tell you about the old fashioned? I’m a snob when it comes to my drinks but that too was worth going back for more.

Disappointing. With all the hype and the Esquire stuff we expected something amazing. Something unique. Something we couldn’t wait to go back to. But we got meh.
Crummy service did not help our experience. But even the best service would not have rescued our main courses. Mine was fine and my wife’s was average at best. The first courses were outstanding and I wish we’d stopped there but we didn’t.
I’d love to say we would go back to give it another shot but we just cannot afford such as expensive mediocre meal. There are plenty of other RVA spots to spend our money.

I have been here several times. I was actually at their soft opening back a few years ago. This is a great downtown restaurant. Of course I love oysters and they certainly do not disappoint. Some of the freshest you can find. They have a small menu but usually enough for even the pickiest eaters to find something they like. Check out pasture just up the street to make it a nice evening out.

Been on my list of places to go to since i moved to RVA in March — great service — great drinks — great food. I only had drink and ceviche (was different than ever i have had with beets — but was amazing.
I especially like that the bartenders will do a «bartenders choice» drink if you just tell them what you like — and it was a knock out! Looking forward to returning and eating more!

Go for Happy Hour. You can get $ 1 oysters and clams (as many as you like!) as well as properly made Sazeracs and other speciality cocktails.
Their oysters are big and beautiful. Three types on the menu on this particular visit, ranging from milder to briny. I like the briny and enjoyed two dozen of them before the evening was over.

I’m a fan of Rappahannock.
I love the raw oysters and could sit here all day eating them. The sampler suggested by the bartenders is the route I normally go. If you do this, make sure to start with least briny of the oysters and then make your way around to the most salty… otherwise, your palate might have difficulty adjusting.
My friends had the cobia ceviche and a few main dishes. The mains were good, but the appetizers really stood out.
The restaurant itself isn’t large and can get quite loud when full. Also, its proximity to the Centerstage Complex helps pack in the restaurant before and after shows, so take that into consideration. On street parking is the only option and because of its downtown location, parking can be difficult especially during the evening rush hour.
That being said, this place is great.

Wow!
So I stumbled on this place a for a last minute late night dinner and I was immediately greeted with a great drink.
I was given complimentary oysters since never having any before (much appreciated).
I ordered the steamed clams and the dish, bread and broth were outstanding.
The paella followed and is worth the visit alone — wow!
This place will always be a stop when visiting RVA.

I would say go here for the oysters.
The seafood experience I had was nothing special.
I have the grilled mahi for $ 25 bucks and the portion was tiny and came with no sides.
They do their $ 1 oysters for happy hour. They usually have a decent selection.
Parking is on the street only.

Wowow ok shot to the top as one of my favorite RVA places to eat
Got an assortment of oysters, all delicious and fresh. Really hit the spot. Forget which were my favorite oops.
Entrees. I tried some of everyone’s and would seriously order any of them. Not to mention there were another 4 – 5 on the menu that I wanted myself.
The paella was really good. Not traditional paella, but delicious and full of seafood and flavor. The scallops were delicious, and the lamb ravioli it came with was insanely good. Also tried a pan seared fish which was soo good and I usually avoid ordering fish out (just a personal preference — usually something I want more on the menu)
My only negative about the place is the amount of smoke that churns out of the open kitchen. My eyes were watering at one point and my clothes were stained with the smell after.