The Lobby Bar — Restaurant in Richmond

Our group of 7 made a reservation for a going-away dinner for a friend. We went on a Monday evening with a 6:30 reservation. It was an average-sized crowd with a few empty tables, so not fully booked by any means. The hotel set-up is beautiful this time of year and the table we had was in a perfect spot in the restaurant. The decor and ambience of the lobby bar was exactly what we were looking for, but that is unfortunately where the positives end. Upon arrival, we ordered a bottle of wine and a few cocktails. Our waiter, Allyn, did not provide any pleasantries or give off a friendly vibe, but that would've been fine if his service had at least been good. We were not asked if we wanted any starters, and it took almost 20 minutes for the drinks to arrive. In reviewing the menu, we noticed there were only 6 entree options, but we each managed to find something that interested us. Four of us added steak to our dishes but were told the chef would only cook it medium rare and nothing else. This was acceptable for 3 out of the 4 of us, so one person had to forego the steak option. Another ordered the fresh catch (salmon) which came with a raisin and almond enhancement that she could not eat, and requested to substitute with carrots that were present in a different dish. Again, we were told the chef would not do that. All of these rejections were presented in a very standoffish manner by Allyn, who seemed less than interested in any accommodations for the meal. After ordering our dinner, he returned 10 minutes later to tell us there were only two steaks left, so one of the 3 of us would not be getting what we ordered. He offered to add salmon instead, to which one of the ladies agreed. He did not return for any more drink orders or refills. When the food finally arrived by the servers, it took Allyn another several minutes to check on us and at that point took our additional drink orders. He again returned several minutes later to tell us they did not have any more of the wine bottle we had ordered. This particular wine is on the menu for "drinks by the glass" as well so for them to be completely out of it was surprising. At this point, everyone had finished their meal so we opted not to get another bottle of wine. As for the food, we had orders for the cacio e pepe, which had no flavor except for an overabundance of garlic; the salmon which was very overcooked with a black crust rather than golden brown and very dry; and a few salads which were average. When the bill arrived, we noticed that the second bottle of wine was still listed, but Allyn again did not return for several minutes for this to be remedied. One person in our group stopped another server and asked to speak with the manager. When she arrived at the table, her only response was "Allyn is one of our best servers". If that is true, then the rest of the staff must be poorly lacking in any customer relation skills and quality work ethic. Eventually the manager said she could take down our email addresses and send us a gift card, but we all agreed we would not return. Instead, she offered to adjust the bill, and removed one of the pasta dishes and the sides of the steak. This was acceptable to us because we will not be going back. As a side note, the valet situation was also a mess. Do not expect to be treated as nicely as the restaurant presents...

This was not a good food day at the quirk hotel.. the ambience is still 5 stars because the atmosphere is very positive and delightful to be in. The staff is also nice and respectful. However, the food was a huge disappointment this time. We both got the Ted Burger and found it to be lacking in flavor and was a tad too oily or greasy. The onion inside was delicious but I was not able to order them on the side instead of fries how I wanted. The bun on the burger became soggy quickly due to them putting the sauce on the bun instead of on top of the burger. The worst were the fries. It had an ungodly amount of salt on them that no addict could endure. It was painful to eat them and had we not been starving they would have sat untouched… then we each got a desert. Both were disappointing. They looked beautiful but tasted meh… the brownie dish was very plain Jane and DRY. The strange whip tastes like air with a touch of discomfort. A scoop of ice cream and minute in a microwave would have went a long way. The banana pudding dish was just too sweet sugary to enjoy. It would have been better with more fruit inside or just less sugar. We barely ate half of each. And they were $11 each..! That’s how overbearing it was and we are moderate eaters of all foods. Meaning we can handle sometimes a little extra salt or sugar we have an American diet but lean on the more heathy side and these were just way too sweet and salty for us to eat. The decaf coffee was very strong / bitter, I’d recommend adding some vanilla or other flavor if you want to tone it down some.

I will say this is the 2nd time I’ve come. The first time was amazing. First time was 5 stars which I still have a 3 star rating. I got the same burger and fries for $22 and it was delicious. This time was just a mistake. Also we got a different dessert last time a few months ago that was out of this world amazing. But they changed the desert menu sadly. The previous dessert was some hazelnut mouse thing with little balls inside. I will post a picture- please bring it back!! It was incredible.

Also there is a meal tax in addition to sales tax so that is kind of annoying. Added an extra $5 to our bill in this case. We spent about $75 plus tip for our burgers and desserts and didn’t eat or enjoy it.

Will be timid to come back but if I do I will have to ask the waiter to exchange the fries or something or just try a completely...

Restaurant week menu had great options. I went with the pork rillette, beef short rib, and chocolate cake desert.

This was also my first experience at this restaurant.

Here is my service review.

Fast, attentive, and helpful navigating drinks and food. Impressed with the team work atomoshere and prompt help from other team members. One gentleman in particular impressed us delivering food, for he quickly noticed one of our friends plates was missing two slices of baguette. Very friendly staff.

On to the food.

Pork rilitte was not so good. It was saturated in oil dripping off the slate plate it was served on. It was minced so fine it had a canned tuna like consistency to it. It was on the menu as “whipped”. I like the idea but execution fell flat. I’m not trying to be mean but it was like gas station bbq.

On to my entre, short ribs. Flavor profile was great, presentation was spot on, color was 10/10. Porcini cream had great flavor and complimented the beef. Mini polenta cakes were money, cooked to perfection. My problem with this dish was the amount of fat left on the short rib. My beef has a 1/4 layer of gelatinous fat throughout. Short ribs should be slowed cooked and braised until the layers of fat dissolve and leave a very translucent layer between the muscle. This was 1/3 fat and 2/3 beef. Another 45 minutes in the oven would have made it perfect. If I need a knife on a short rib, it needed more time.

Desert fell way short of my expectations. Chocolate cake hardly had a deep or rich chocolate flavor profile. My advice here is more coco powder (and of higher quality) and ironically more fat (help with the dryness). I would use Valrhona or Pernigotti for the coco. Cake was also dry and tasted a tad stale. Oat ice cream was good, but lacked the depth I expected. Needed lemon zest and a shot of vanilla bean.

I will say the honey butter with Fleur de sel was amazing. Served with a saint Germaine baguette it was a stunner. Sometimes a good slice of bread is all you need.

I will conclude with this. Restaurant week, hard fought nights cranking out mass quantities. Busy floor and at capacity. Service was awesome and food was good but not great. I give it four stars for a pleasant experience that just needs a little tweeting on execution. I’m confident next visit - off restaurant week will...