The Urban Tavern

I am crushed that Urban Tavern is no longer. Yeah, they say they are renovating but reading in between the lines in the press release… Anyway, it was great and judging from all the positive reviews here and all the positive reviews from work (I work at a local large company and have hosted a company event here) they were very well regarded. The food was creative and well done, and the beer and wine selections were great. They could have done a little better with happy hour specials but that’s a small complaint. The ambiance and décor were perfect. Maybe if they’d hung in there a little longer they could have seen the success they wanted. I am so bummed.

We went to the Urban Tavern for brunch this past Sunday and it was delicious. I can’t remember his name, but the bartender was our server at a booth and he was great. The Bloody Mary’s were DELICIOUS and come with a spicy house-​made pickle as a garnish. I ordered the croquet madame and my husband ordered the burger. Both were great. The potatoes that come on the side are a must, and the portion sizes were big.
We were mostly blown away by the service, however. We were very well attended to and the manager came by to ask how we were as well. We will definitely be back for happy hour and dinner. It’s nice to find a cool place like this in the west end without having to travel to such high trafficked areas. Very impressed!

Happened upon this place with a few minutes to kill and ended up staying an hour. What was going to be quick drink turned into a couple of rounds and a few small plate apps. Cannot recommend it more. Great beer selection. Service was superb. Food was simple but decadent. Amazing atmosphere. Will be back soon!

Stopped in to meet my brother for a beer and a bite. Friday Night’s are usually hopping in The Urban Tavern. Live entertainment… lots of customers. good times! Be patient with parking!
Once inside we grabbed a booth. We ordered the Founders Imperial Stout and the J Wakefield Stout, Both excellent choices. Service was good, Gabrielle was our server. She was knowledgeable about the many beers available. We were on our way!
We couldn’t just drink… needed a quick bite and ordered the Tavern Burger and the Tavern Chicken Salad. Again… excellent choices.
What’s not to like here? The Urban Tavern is doing things right. We’re going to be back here regularly. Great job!

Thought the family would try someplace new for Easter Brunch and we were not disappointed. We had had a good dinner here about six months ago which is when we saw that brunch was available. My eight year old got eggs and bacon, my two teens got the tavern burger with a fried egg on it and the DH got eggs and hash browns. Everyone was happy! The coffee was really good. We all agreed that we’d want to come back!

In search of a new spot to try and came across this place hidden back in the cut. At first glance I was a little worried because the restaurant was empty. But, once seated we found out they had just opened at 4pm. The server Sami D. was great she gave us a good amount of time to look over the menu, and was very knowledgeable about the food.
I asked for a lemonade, but sent it back because it was so bitter… tasted like they forgot the sugar. I swapped it for a sweet tea. much better. On to the food… because this is a gastropub, the menu was simple but had some interesting choices, so it took awhile to decide. I chose a rib eye steak sandwhich, it was real steak shaved thin with cheese and reminded me of old school steakums lol. remember those? I was a bit underwhelmed with my sandwich. it was chewy. like there was alot of fat on my steak. It tasted okay. just wasnt something I would want twice. The fries that came with it outshined the sandwich, they tasted like fresh cut potatoes. Perfectly salted and piping hot. My picky daughter chose kung pao wings (off appetizer menu) with a side of mac n chz as her entrée. The mac looked homemade and super cheesy. My other daughter had a salmon salad she loved, she described it as tasting really fresh and healthy. (Except there were literally like only 5 pieces of actual large salad .she said she felt like she needed to cut it up to make it larger.)For dessert, we shared 1 order of churros. (Was either 5 or 6 on plate) They were super hot, sugary and delicious.
This visit didnt show me much promise, but I would go back anyway to give it a second chance to be sure it wasnt just the wrong menu choice. I think I would choose the crab cakes next time though.

Best place to eat and drink in the West end
We have been to supper, brunch, lunch, and beer dinners at UT over the last few months.
The service is outstanding. Always. Patrick, Steven and Andrea make us feel welcome and offer trusted advice when needed.
The food is imaginative and delicious. (Try ordering several small plates with drinks. Great way to sample all the Chef has to offer.)
The beer list is my favorite part. A unique blend of great local craft and national names. They will even let you try before you buy. Another aspect of the great service.
We are thrilled to have a place this good in our part of town!

I genuinely feel the need to update my review after finally getting the chance to brunch at Urban Tavern. I take brunch very seriously; its my favorite meal of the day. And while its hard to mess it up, its also very hard to blow someone’s mind away. The Urban Tavern did that for me this weekend. Our waitress was, as always, helpful, courteous, and well attentive. The Bloody Mary was one of my favorites, garnished with olives (love) and a spicy cucumber/​pickle (which I surprisingly loved); none of that terrible celery nonsense! My friend and I both got the breakfast sandwich, and it was perfect; chorizo sausage, fried egg, avocado spread and aioli, on a bun, served with crispy fingering potatoes. I think the only thing that could have made it a tiny bit better would have been to put in on crispy, buttery bread like sourdough or ciabatta, panini style. But trust me, I wouldn’t hesitate to get this sandwich again and again.
I can’t wait to go back, and I look even more forward to the Urban Tavern for brunch now than I do for dinner. I also have plans to go back in a couple weeks with my husband, and fully intend to try the Smoked Salmon Benny, which was recommended by the waitress.

What an enjoyable place! From the moment we walked in, the vibe hit that this is a place to sit back, take your time, and enjoy your food. It’s a good thing you pick up on this vibe right away, because therein lies the only flaw we encountered — their timing.
Our server Lisa was very attentive, making suggestions, letting us sample beers, and generally setting us up for an enjoyable evening without being overly obtrusive.
To start off, we shared an order of their fresh chile-​lime pork rinds. Oh MY. These were so good, they reminded me of the ones you’d find on the streets in Mexico. DROOL.
For supper, I ordered the wedge salad, followed by the crab cake sandwich. I have to say, this is the largest wedge salad I’ve EVER had. I split it with Hubs & it was still more than enough. Unlike most wedge salads, this salad was topped with a gouda dressing — and it was AMAZING. I would seriously buy this stuff by the pint if I could!
My crab cake was tasty, lots of crab without discernible filler. Unfortunately, it was somewhat overcooked on one side. I was already so full from my salad, I just removed it from the bun and ate around the overcooked part. Even at that, I was still able to give Hubs half of my sandwich (sense a trend here?!). Hubs enjoyed the slow cooked ribeye sandwich & thoroughly enjoyed it. I may or may not have snuck a bite for myself. Mmmmm!
And for those of you wondering why I sacrificed half of my meal to Hubs, two words: panna cotta. Specifically, dark chocolate panna cotta. For those who have read my other reviews, you may have noted that I’m quite a fan of this dessert. And it definitely did not disappoint. While I’m not a huge banana fan, the banana whip was an interesting taste contrast to the butterscotch drizzle & candied pecans. Served in a tiny jar, it was still too much. And you guessed it – I only ate half!
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the beer selection. We were able to find quite a few beers that we all enjoyed. I discovered a new to me beer: the Ginger Lemon Radler from Boulevard. Super light & refreshing, this might be my new favorite! And the guys in our party were more than pleased that Ardent’s Honey Ginger was available here. In fact, we snagged a growler on our way out!
All in all, a solid four, and with a little more attention to timing & quality control in the kitchen, this place has the potential to be a five. We’ll definitely give it another shot!
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As another reviewer mentioned, this address isn’t GPS friendly. Both vehicles in our party had difficulty locating the place via two different map apps, and it necessitated a phone call to ascertain the location.

This place has a wonderful atmosphere, friendly staff and good food. I had the chicken salad sandwich and wasn’t too impressed but when they noticed I hadn’t eaten much they took it off the bill. My friend’s breakfast was good. There’s a Nutella banana breakfast we will definitely be back to try!

I liked this place a lot!
We live nearby and I invited some friends to meet up for drinks at their happy hour this past Friday. Their happy hour «specials» aren’t great, if I remember correctly 2 select wines (a red and a white) are only $ 5 a glass, their drafts are $ 1 off, and their rails are $ 2 off. I came right after work and I was literally the first person in the restaurant until my friends showed up. I sat at the bar and the bartender was eager to help me pick out a beverage almost immediately. He offered to let me sample any of their wines or drafts, but it wasn’t necessary because I was set on trying their moonshine cocktail! I wish I could remember exactly what was in it, but it was moonshine, prosecco (?), and hard cider garnished with a mint leaf. It was a little pricey but obviously it has a decent amount of alcohol. My one friend got an urban tavern version of a Moscow Mule, and my other friend got some kind of pink fruity drink that she wasn’t crazy about. After that we just had beers. I was very excited because they had Hardywood on tap! I had a couple of Hardywood blackberries which were $ 9 for a tall. I thought that was pretty reasonable.
As far as the atmosphere, it’s a cute little restaurant. The ambiance is reminiscent of Capital Ale, and the crowd is definitely middle aged and up. My friends and I were the youngest in the bar! They have a sliding door-​wall so they opened up the restuarant to the patio, but it was such a hot day and the sun was beating directly onto the patio — we were a little hot just sitting at the bar.
Now, about the food… When I hear Gastropub I think of specialty dishes with elevated ingredients. Especially for the prices they charge! So I was little disappointed by their food. I had planned to bring dinner home for my boyfriend, so I got the tavern burger for myself, and an oysters po’ mi for him to go. My burger was $ 12, it was ground chuck with bacon, lettuce, and cheese. It tasted like a regular burger; kind of disappointing… there was nothing special about it. My boyfriend’s po’ mi was also just ok, I can’t judge it too harshly because I know takeout is never as good as eating in the restaurant, but the bun was soggy and the oysters were slightly too chewy (and we live 5 minutes away so it’s not because the food sat for too long!). He said he liked it, but he probably wouldn’t order it to go again, especially at $ 14 a sandwich. We agreed that we will definitely go back again to try the food in-​house.
The bartender claims their rotisserie chicken was better than Toast’s. (which to me is a bold claim because everything Toast does is ahhhh-​mazing!)
But overall, it was a nice place, and the service was great! The drinks were good, but a little pricey, and the food was good, but not elevated like you’d expect at a gastropub. But we’ll definitely give it another chance!
And just a tip — for some reason when you put the address into Google maps, it takes you to a neighborhood nearby! Even the bartender says it happens to people all the time. make sure to type «Urban Tavern» into Google maps instead of the address because apparently it’s the only way GPS can find it!

Another great Unilocal find in an unfamiliar city.
The Urban Tavern boasts a nice open space with a good bar separated from the main dining area. Bonus: low music volume! It wasn’t very busy when we visited.
While the bar carries a good draft beer selection, none are local beers. If you do order a beer, note that the ‘large’ is very large — larger than a pint.
Small menu but some options for a vegetarian.
Po mi sandwich excellent. Nice crusty bread with two or three non-​greasy fried oysters per half. Perhaps too much dressing, which made the whole thing a bit sloppy.
Farro risotto also excellent, as were the Brussels sprouts — nicely grilled with a not too sweet or overpowering soy based sauce.
Great service at the bar.
Check out the etched metal photographs on far wall of the dining room.
Easy parking in a shopping center.

I’ve sat at the bar at Capital Ale House for my weekly «dad’s night out» for years. Lately, I’ve been exploring some new places — not because I’m unhappy at Capital Ale, but rather I feel that I need to experience more of what RVA has to offer. The Urban Tavern is the first place I’ve come to that I feel could qualify as my new watering hole.
As always, I sat at the bar with my Kindle. I saw on Twitter early in the day that they were tasting Brewery Ommegang beers. My bartender, Patrick, immediately set me up with the first of five Ommegang brews. There was an Ommegang representative present who personally introduced himself and came by with each new beer to tell me about it and put it into context. I learned a lot.
I ate a Tavern burger. It wasn’t the best burger I’ve ever had, but I’d order it again. The food arrived quickly and was nice and hot The bar setup is nice and the other patrons were friendly. On this July evening, the garage doors between the bar area and patio were rolled back, giving a nice «open air» feel to the place. There was a customer who brought a guitar and was strumming some songs and singing with some friends. I thought that was pretty cool and added to the atmosphere.
The service was kind and prompt. One of the employees even recognized me from my Twitter messages about the Ommegang tasting. Good food. The beer selection was good, even though I stuck to the Ommegang offerings on that evening. I’ll definitely be back at the bar in the future, and plan to bring my wife and family in for brunch.

Best brunch I’ve EVER had in the west end. We went after church. My husband and I shared the breakfast sandwich and a burger. Seriously — I told him tonight that I want to go back next Sunday and do it again. Perfectly cooked burger and seriously the best breakfast sandwich I think I’ve ever had — it was chorizo, a fried egg and avocado (and a few other things). Amazing.

Awful food. Fried fish sandwich order was never received by the kitchen and then when it came out 30 minutes later it was undercooked and crunchy.
Go here for drinks and live music but not food. It is ghastly! I should have listened to my friends who had had previous bad experiences.

I LOVE this place. The po’mi (fried oyster banh mi fusion sandwich) is absolutely to die for, full of flavor and great bread. Their brussels sprouts are hard to put down and they have a very friendly staff with a great local brew list. Everything on the menu looked scrumptious (I’ve only been once) and I’m raring to go back– glad some great food is finally coming out to the Far West End (the 25-​minute trips to wander around downtown for good food get old sometimes.) It seemed like the bar specials were only available during the day, so dinner is fixed to the menu (I couldn’t find any dinner specials– the large plate portions are fairly big, because they push sharing food here.) The owner was sitting outside when I came and he was very friendly and struck up a conversation with us, and they were accommodating to seat us outside even though it did not really seem to be open on the patio. I will definitely be back, as there are so many things on the menu I want to try! A definite gem out here in the barren waste of chains and fast food!
**UPDATE: Returned for dinner and got the kielbasa roll, which was delicious! The atmosphere was also lovely (there was some very good live music in the corner– this was my first time dining inside. Great staff, nice ambiance.) The sausage had a nice snap to it and a lot of flavor, and the mustard and kraut were both very flavorful and tasted fresh. Pair that with a beer from their extensive brew list, this place is truly a charm that I will, once again, be back to.

This gem of a restaurant should be packed every night of the week, tucked away in a mall in the Far West End. The menu is delightfully diverse but completely integrated. We started with the combo cheese/​charcuterie board and added half a dozen oysters. For the main course, the roast chicken was amazingly moist and flavorful. The sirloin tip steak with chimichurri sauce was perfection. Dessert could not be avoided — dark chocolate with whipped banana, butterscotch and candied pecans! We’ll be back soon.

We eat here a lot because it’s close to home. I can alway piece together a meal from their collards and the mezze platter. We’ve had everything on the menu, pretty much and it is all good. I’m ready for an updated menu from this talented kitchen staff. Is there a spring. summer menu coming?

One of my new favorite places in the west end. I go once a week
With friends and have tried just about everything on the menu. Great burger and fries (this coming from a girl who sets mostly vegetarian and sushi) but I find myself craving those warm crispy freshly handcut, made to order Belgium style French fries with the garlic aioli dipping sauce! We also love the cinnamon chicken appetizer. Love that you have a raw bar for awesome oysters on the half shell. The whole fresh fish of the day is a must as well as the side of Brussels sprouts and Gruyère Mac and cheese is heaven! My friend had the ribs and said they were amazing. Even their simple pasta dishes are fresh and tasty. Keep the food at this high quality and it will keep the patrons coming back!

DH and I tried this new place on for our Friday Night Date Night. In the old Shackleford’s location, we were happy to see something interesting and new open up in this location, which is fairly close to our house.
On this visit, DH and I started off with the malt vinegar pork rinds as a quick snack. They were light, crispy and with a bite from the vinegar — very tasty. DH wanted dinner so he ordered the Po Mi, which is a cross between a Po Boy and a Bahn Mi sandwich. He really enjoyed the mix of flavors. I decided that I wanted to graze instead of settling on one dish. So I got the charcuterie platter and a side of the Tavern fries. The platter came with two types of meats, house-​made pickles and very delicious home-​made chicken liver pâté, along with some crusty crostini.
We were also treated to excellent service on this trip.
The only downside is Urban Tavern is a tad pricey (bill was $ 42 and we had no booze on this trip) but it is really not that much more than most other casual dining restaurants. But in all, this place is a welcome addition to the Tuckahoe area.