The Park RVA — Restaurant in Richmond

Really enjoyed our first visit. Went right at opening (Noon) on a weekend and glad we got there early as it become very busy about an hour later which is a good problem to have for a new business. Ended up playing a couple games of duckpin bowling which we all enjoyed and then 9 holes of mini golf which was also fun. Only two of the food concepts were open to order from (Benny Smasharino's and Pico Freako) for lunch. Was told the others wouldn't open until 4pm. Would have liked more of them to choose from especially since was pretty busy but the food we did have was good. Tried a pizza as well as smash burgers w/ fries. Then for a sweet dessert grabbed gelato from Mama OG's which was also open. Very tasty as well. Took about 20 minutes for the food to arrive which wasn't a problem since we were bowling while we waited which helped time pass.

The beer wall had probably half their beers kicked and even some that didn't show as "kicked" wouldn't pour either so those were not labeled as being out. Most beers available were macro (Coors, Bud Light, etc) Would have preferred more craft beer options. For those mentioning about being cut off of pouring just know your wristband is set to pour a maximum of 32oz/hour which I think is a good idea to make sure people are not overdoing it. If you want to get more before your band "unlocks" again then you need to find a staff member who can "reload it" for you. They just want to be sure people are not getting wasted. For those mentioning the overwhelming amount of foam/head pouring just know you need to fully pull the tap open for it to pour properly. If you "feather" the tap or not open it fully then it won't pour properly so long as the tap is calibrated as it should. That being said, I did have one pour (Ardent - Pilsner) that poured perfect but my second one (Blue Mountain - Dark Hollow) which was mostly head (a pricey $14 pour!) as it was priced out at $.91/oz. I attribute that to probably not being properly calibrated for that style of beer. All of the beer glasware (shaker pints) were cold / frosted too as they were in a cooler just below the beer wall. Just picky but would have been nice to have some glassware that wasn't chilled. Maybe in a cabinet instead of a cooler.

The only gripe I had was all of the cc tabs I needed to open. For games, I needed to purchase those and open a tab at the counter by the entrance. When we ordered food / drinks we then needed to open another tab with a server who was roving the bar / bowling area. In order to get a beer and beer band I then needed to open a 3rd tab at the bar next to the beer wall. I would have figured their POS would all be connected so I could open one tab and then order from any station / bar / restaurant / etc by just giving them my name. When we left I ended up going to each of those 3 stations again to make sure everything was closed out properly and nothing was left open which took some time.

Overall, it was a pleasant first visit. All of the staff/employees we came in contact with and spoke to were very friendly and helpful. Even though there are some clear areas to improve on but they have just been open less than 2 weeks so I give them a little higher rating than I would a more...

On a casual Saturday afternoon a few weeks back, my husband and I made our way to The Park RVA for the first time. What a fun and interesting concept: have several restaurants set up in an expansive “food court” type setting, built around a large bar with giant TVs and a duckpin alley, located in the main dining area of The Park. We had checked out the website prior to arriving, but we were excited to see this collection of menus and options for play brought to life. We toured The Park, and next to the second larger bar area was a long line of kegs for dispensing your own, all-you-can pour beers and drafts. Could you imagine having so many different choices for relaxing while you’re catching the big game or barreling some balls down the duckpin alley?

While we didn’t opt for the never ending kegs, we did find more than one helpful bartender, and together, they presented us with the beverages of our choice: a crisp, refreshing Bold Rock for my husband, and a mellow glass of merlot for me. A few sips later, after watching a few minutes of the William and Mary - UVA game, we decided it was time to try some of the fantastic food featured online. What’s so convenient about The Park RVA is that you could take up residence at one of the bars, and without getting up to fend for yourself, the bartenders will order and serve food for you from any one of the vendors inside. What a great way to help us truly recline and dine!

There were many choices, such as Vinny Smasharino’s juicy Smash Burgers, Sweet OG’s tempting red velvet cupcakes, and Chick Flick’s comforting Chicken and Waffle Sandwich. While I cannot place the name of the restaurant we ordered from, and it’s not on their website, my husband and I set our sights on the Tinga Chicken Quesadilla, topped with cilantro, fresh lime, and a luxurious crema that cut through the spice and acid in the quesadilla brilliantly. We truly enjoyed this hot and spicy, flavorful, creamy and fresh chicken quesadilla.

Next, we decided it was time to try our hand at duckpins. When you first enter The Park RVA, there is a booth inside with all the prices for games and fun listed, as well as merchandise you could purchase to commemorate your visit. The employee was friendly, polite, and helpful, and we sped off to our lane in seconds flat. They also offer Wonderball (mini golf), an air hockey table, skeeball lanes, and some arcade games.

The duckpin lanes were very welcoming, with tables, chairs, and couches lining the alley. There was plenty of space to share with everyone else as well - we weren’t cramped at all. I’ve never played duckpins before, so this was a fun first time experience for me, although holding the ball without finger holes was slightly challenging at first. My husband adapted more quickly, as you can see from our scores! High scores, low scores, it didn’t matter to me how I bowled, it just mattered that I was having a good time relaxing with my loved one.

Have you been to The Park RVA? It’s just off I-95 in Richmond, VA, and it should be a stop on your next road trip through Old Dominion! Fun for all...

First, let me clarify, I went in open minded and wanted to disregard the negative reviews.

The good: The idea is really cool. I liked the atmosphere. The food was ok. The employees were very nice, welcoming, and respectful.

Beer tap wall with wrist band payment, activation, and pour on your own.

Games. Plenty of activities. We didn't play any because we were there for food and drinks. However, there's a kind of bowling with a short lane and small balls. Looked neat. Mini golf and a virtual golf driving range as well. Again, we didn't play the games but the idea is cool for those looking to do that kind of thing. Big advice, there should probably be an expansion on things to do. Pool tables or arcade machines? Just a thought.

Tvs and music makes for a decent spot to watch sporting events.

The bad: Pricing on food, beer, and liquor was way too high for what you're getting. Granted, I understand the kind of place this is and how much the food/alcohol are expected to be. This was no shock, but higher than expected. Almost $13 for a Jameson and ginger ale, and $21 for a quesadilla, chips, guacamole, and pico. These were my prices tonight.

The beer tap wall has a lot of basic big name beers. Ex: Coors Light... A place like this should be offering more local/small brewery beers and offering cans elsewhere. There are craft beers, but these regular beers should be removed from the wall. The bars only serve liquor. The wrist band also cuts you off and only allows two beers per hour. I feel like this is counterproductive and only limits the business.

Wait times: too long for everything. I waited for a quesadilla and chips for 30 minutes. Someone in my group waited over 45 minutes just to ask for a refund. The food vendors also appeared to be way understaffed. When we got here, we waited about 30 minutes before being acknowledged at the bar to place an order.

Food handling cleanliness: i noticed people working in the kitchen at the taco place not wearing gloves while handling food. Food was being left in the window without a heat lamp or anything for up to ten minutes unattended before being moved to the counter and under the heat lamp. The individual behind the counter was not calling out names on orders causing people to approach the counter and hover over the food to find out if it's theirs before walking away.

Overall, lots of issues that need to be worked out. I understand this is opening day and there are bound to be issues. This is the reason I'm giving a 2 star rather than 1 because there is a lot of future potential. I would love to see what this place does with the feedback after tonight. Maybe after a while, I'll come back and see how...