This is a great little hole in the wall bar that really values it's beer and your enjoyment of it. Â I have drank here several times, no food yet, but enjoyed every pint. Â Great selection. Â I always get to try something new. Â
I'd also suggest bringing a pen if you can. Â They have great coaster art and makes me want to draw (not an artist) every time.
I think I would not dislike this place nearly so much if I had just gone there for beer and onion rings, but the service and food my friends and I received was downright bad. Â The service was slow and inefficient; our food -even onion rings- took inordinately long, and we would have to ask for certain things multiple times. Our server gave us the subtle impression the whole time that she was judging us or purposefully ignoring us, so that we all felt like we had to be extra nice and compliant in order to earn her goodwill.
When the food finally arrived it was such a disappointment. The burgers and bratwurst were fine but not exciting. The Luzianne pizza was also fine, but the crust seemed store-bought and crackery. The ribs, however, were terrible. Two of us got them and we both decided afterwards that a slim jim would have been preferable. The meat was tougher than some beef jerky I have had, so tough that we literally could not get the meat off the bone to eat it. The flavor was not smoky and savory in a ribs way, but in a slim jim/ jerky way. Quite possibly the worst food I have eaten in Richmond.
The beers and onion rings were by far the best aspects of our visit here, but that will not be enough to bring any of us back there again.
The Excellent: The variety of beer, the french fries, the mostly calm environment, and the best "mystery beer" special in town - my buck fifty beer was a delicious brown ale, not just a crappy natty bo or the like.
The Meh: Although the fries are top-notch, everything else I've had on the menu was just OK. Not bad, but a bit overpriced. I've also seen some of the same beers here served at slightly cheaper prices at other bars. The music can also get a bit loud after 10ish.
Overall great fan bar if you are looking to kick it with some good buddies and good brew.
For me, this place was way to loud/crowded when I went on a weekend night. There was a band playing and it was seriously like, standing room only. Somehow the service was still good, which was impressive, and I really enjoyed my "Snakebite" which was like an amber lager, mixed with a cider (i think?). Anyway I would go back but maybe not during their rush.
Review Source:My go to bar for a good beer in the fan. Â 5 stars for location and beer selection. Â The food is great (baja chicken) and the staff is accommodating when they are not in the weeds. Â This place is a tap house and would be five stars if not for their taps. Â Worst taps I have ever seen. Â Sometimes the beer does not flow well (CO2 issues and/or old line issues) and they let some sit and settle then use that beer to fill up the next order. Â Look at all the half full glasses around the taps and you'll see what I mean. Â If they could fix this problem, this would be a five star watering hole.
Review Source:Five stars for the beer selection. Â Three stars for the ambiance. Â It's a little divey but still warm and inviting. Â Unfortunately this place is pretty well overrun with silly hipsters. Â Maybe it's the PBR special they have running?
The service was adequate. Â I haven't eaten here so I can't rate the food.
Beware, the seating downstairs is limited. Â I've heard there is more seating available upstairs but haven't been up there to look yet.
There is - or was, last time I checked anyways - an awesome Fight Club quote written on the wall of the men's room. Â Respect!
New to RVA and the wife and I live up the street, so we're trying every place near us... This place had great reviews so we figured we'd try it...
The beer is the real attraction here. It's got a great tap list with some really interesting brews. The food itself was good, though nothing special. What really earned this place 2 stars was the service. We got seated upstairs, which was cozy but nice... But the waitress, who was nice, was kind of all over the place and disorganized. What's worse is that she was only taking 2 drinks at a time from downstairs and moved very slowly. It took real effort to get her attention.
The Kitchen might not be much better. I had the Luzianne pizza but it wasn't fully cooked (bottom was doughy and not crisp) and I asked for it to be thrown back in the oven. First the waitress has to "check" which she claimed was to ensure food safety. I've never heard of the idea that a pizza just can't be thrown back into an oven for another 5 minutes. Then she came back out, took it back... and 20 minutes later, I had to flag her down and ask what the holdup was... she said they were making another one from scratch... 1) I don't see why that would be necessary and 2) It would have been nice to have been kept apprised of why it was taking so long. She thanked me for my patience, but I was just being nice - my patience had run out. She didn't even offer to discount any of our food because of the excessive wait.
I thought about talking to the manager, but we were sitting next to a group who knew the owners and we overheard them saying he was "difficult" and "grumpy." Under normal circumstances, I'd talk to a manger because obviously there could be improvement - not to get anything comped, but to legitimately bring issues to their attention. I decided not to. Having just moved to Richmond from DC, I'm finding the attitudes of those in the dining industry are markedly different here and that there's often a "whatever" attitude due to the steady influx of young hip people. Some places are very concerned with quality, but not all and apparently not this place.
Again, the food was good, the beer was good, but the service left a rather rotten taste in my mouth.
A dive bar with a well-designed beer list, Commercial Taphouse consistently delivers. Their beer list is smaller than most places, but I like the emphasis on quality of selection over quantity.
I've never had major problems with the service here- the waitstaff knows their beer, and while you do have to wait a little longer if it's busy, I've never had to wait a ridiculous amount of time to get another beer.
My only complaint is that since the beer menu is constantly changing, I've been told more than a couple times that the beer I want is out of stock or no longer available. That can be a little frustrating, so I'd recommend coming up with a second or third choice when checking out the beer list.
It's a bar. Â
From the moment you walk in on a Friday, Saturday... whatever night, it's packed. Â If you are like me, only pretending to be a beer snob, you pick up the beer menu, look at the daily tap menu quickly do the alcohol % versus money math.
ABV/$$$ = Which one of these will give me the best bang for my buck.
Then you see they also have sizes of beer. Â Maybe your head nearly explodes from the choices alone, but it probably doesn't because your beer arrives so quick and fresh off the tap. Â You can always get suggestions from the bar staff by the way. Â And assuming you are drinking age, and the brew you want is on tap, there are free tastings.
You drink beer one.
Then during beer one you consider food, but in the meantime start talking to someone who bumped into you on the way to the bathroom in the very tiny space. By the time you're remembered you are hungry, the room is sideways and you're on beer 4 (or 8 depending on who you are). Â You're having such a good time that you never get upset that this place closes between midnight and 1 am.
It's like Cheers here, a feel good place where by the next morning your forgot everyone's name, but generally have a good feeling about the place.
Commercial Taphouse is the go-to for nights when my friends and I want to grab a couple of beers and maybe some munchies. They have a pretty great selection with a balance of "safe", more familiar-sounding beers and some pretty adventurous ones. It's ideal for a beer n00b to order something a little unusual and then sip on a friend's for a taste of something new! The food is okay -- I like the Caesar salad a lot for some reason .... it's nothing special, but it's just good. My friend was a fan of the chicken pineapple sandwich, and of course you can't go wrong with chips and salsa.
The place is tiny and dark, and can get a little loud, but it's a fun atmosphere without being too exhausting or intense. I've never had to wait more than 5 minutes to get a table, and there seem to be a couple seats at the bar always open. The staff is friendly and the prices are solid.
This is the ultimate hidden gem of Robinson Street. Â It isn't filled with scantly clad girls toting fake ID's and the people are genuine. Â You can generally come here anytime, alone, and start a conversation with anyone at the bar, and expect a very cool time. Â
That said, MOST of the bartenders are phenomenal. Â The table service can be slow at times due to the thorough service that is provided at the bar, especially if only one front of the house person is on duty - I have experienced this myself. Â So...don't sweat it, sit at the bar whenever possible. Â You'll have more luck getting to sample this or that, and you may pick up on some beer talk that will inform you of your next selection. Â The bartender is happier and it's a win/win situation!
What makes this place unique is the ever-changing selection of brews on tap. Â There is always something new, rare, or exotic, so it makes each visit a new experience despite the consistent, dark pub ambiance.
For food, TRY THE ONION RINGS! Â You won't be sorry. Â That, or the grilled pineapple brie chicken sandwich (available without the chicken). Â Oh, and the fries are fresh cut and malt vinegar is always available. Â :)
What can I say? I've been regular at the Taphouse almost since James first opened the doors and I could not begin to count how many hundreds of nights I have sat and sipped pints here. Please do not ever call this a bar. It is a proper pub. In fact, it is the only proper pub in the Fan. James, Sean, and Matt are some of the nicest guys you could ever hope to meet.
They don't have the best food in town, and on a busy night, it won't fly to your table. But just you settle down, drink yer pint, and enjoy your friends' company or a chat with new friends. There is absolutely no pretense at the Taphouse. If you want pomp and circumstance, Robinson street has plenty of other bars you might prefer. But if you want a great beer selection, the greatest staff in the Fan, and a place you will strive to become a regular of, "Ye Olde Taphouse" just might be for you.
I have seen many staff (and friends) come and go over the years but James and "the regulars" have managed to keep the atmosphere intact for nearly two decades. I have made many good friends while my butt has made a permanent impression on those chairs.
While the food may not be the best overall, there are some real surprises on the menu. If Matt is cooking, the ribs will be some of the best you have ever tasted. That man knows how to make some ribs. Honestly, anything Matt cooks is going to be great.
The "Taphouse burger" is legendary for good reason. It's probably the best, no-frills burger in Richmond. None of this fancy blue cheese or other crap only the French would dream of putting on a hamburger. It's a real damn burger. With beef. And cheese. And lettuce. And tomato. And just the right amount of char so it tastes the way a burger is supposed to taste. With real fries, none of those pencil-thin chain burger joint fries.
And you can't call yourself a proper pub without fish and chips. But they also have shepherd's pie, bangers and mash, and lots of other pub favorites done the way they should be.
They also have weekly specials on the chalk board when you first walk in.
I knocked off one star only because it can get pretty loud in there sometimes, but otherwise one of my favorite places in the city.
This is THE place to go in the Fan for beer aficionados. Â Sean is a great bartender, and the main reason I continue to visit this great little hole in the wall. Â Very surprisingly, they have great salsa. Â Go here for beer, a good local/"regulars" crowd, and if you get a little hungry, get some chips and salsa.
Unfortunately, I have to advise to NOT get any other food here (knocking it from 5 to 3 stars). Â I feel like this place and Legend brewery could do so much better if they just improved their food menu and service. Â But, they have yet to do so in my 5+ years in Richmond. Â Even on their special beer dinner nights, the food is just average, particularly for the price they charge.
I'm actually really surprised to see people compliment the food here on yelp, because I've never had anything worth mentioning here.
Note that they also close a little earlier than most bars in the fan. Â There is also one particular bartender that either doesn't like me or is just plain bad, as she always is slow with her service and is never all that friendly.
Great beer selection.
I can make better nachos at home.
The pizza was not great. Probably get a better pizza from Martin's frozen foods aisle.
The mediocre nachos and pizza could have been overlooked if the service had been somewhat acceptable. But it was terrible.
Not coming back here.
do not order the fried chicken here. might i recommend the hushpuppies and the sausages with sauerkraut instead? those were tasty.
this was the perfect pit-stop for a quick beer and some warm company, but given that i was just visiting town for the week, i wish we had eaten somewhere else. the chicken was downright objectionable- dry with wimpy, non-crispy breading. just not a special eating experience at all.
:/ Â
the service was perfection, though, and that goes a long way in a cozy little bar like this one. also, if you are a major beer connoisseur, don't expect to have your pants blown off. they certainly have a much better selection than your average dive, so you won't be flatly disappointed, but you won't find anything too exclusive either- compared with a true beer bar at least.
Went here last night. Â Great vibe, dark and pubby feeling. Â Beer Menu was righteous (I remember Founders porter, london pride, smuttynose quad, blackthorn cider, terrapin rye, hop devil on cask and the local singel from hardywood.)
Service was good enough, nothing special because they were really busy  and I think there was the one waitress and that was it.  She did a good job and was attentive to the brews. Â
I got the Fish and Chips dish and it was awesome.. Â Nothing goes with beer like fried food, it paired well with the rye pale ale but not so much with the Quad.. whew.. that was a doozy! (12% abv)
My wife got a grilled cheese, which I know isn't exactly an actual DISH of theirs but they messed it up pretty bad, burnt to hell.. no exaggeration.. but I don't really fault them too much. Â The fries were really good and the fish was MONEY.
I most definitely intend on coming back to this restaurant for food and brews.
A go-to spot for beer connoisseurs in the Fan. Â Last time I was there I tipped back a few delicious ciders on account of the hot weather, but the beer selection is strong and diverse. Â
The food has improved over the years and I was pleasantly surprised to see Sausage Craft sausages on the menu. Â (The local Sausage makers can do no wrong in my opinion.) Â I enjoyed my spicy Italian sausage and side of fries. Â The fries were nice and crispy and I was a happy camper.
Atmosphere: The service was nice and quick as well. Â The Taphouse feels lived-in and is a great place to escaped the nearby deuchebaggery along Robinson and Main St. Â
There's wood everywhere you look. Â The music is decent as well. Â Don't forget about the upstairs if it looks too crowded on the ground floor. Â Taphouse has a divey feel with upscale taste.
I've always liked this place. Not sure why I'm not a regular here as I can walk to it from work.
They always have a modest but well-rounded and yummy beer selection (if you like craft beer). Â The food's always decent and it has a great neighborhood flavor.
I've never had bad service here, but it's also not fussy service.
Not a fancy place, but a great neighborhood joint.
Commercial Taphouse does have the best beer selection in the Fan. The beers are good. The bartenders are knowledgeable. And, if you don't feel like asking for help, the menu has fantastic, informative, witty descriptions. You'll find an ever-changing selection of beers from the likes of Starr Hill, Victory, Bell's, Terrapin, Brooklyn Brewery, Ommegang and more. Â
The bar feels a bit hipster, but just about anyone fits right on in here. Just ask a question and the staff is super friendly. I've only tried a few bar foods, but everything was tasty. The onion rings were crisp and addicting. The soft pretzel was big and good. Both went down easily with a side of several microbrews.
Whether or not you're eating, Commercial Taphouse is great place to spend an evening. The lighting is dim and it's very conducive to kicking back after a long day. It's a relaxed spot on the craziness of Robinson Street.
I don't think I could have had a better time here. Â Everything about this place was enjoyable from the "No Crap on Tap" sticker on the bar to the staff and all the patrons who were hanging around. Â Everyone here seemed to be having a good time for a rainy Monday and it was probably helped by the fact that the owner and staff are very passionate and knowledgeable about the beer they serve. Â My girlfriend and I went in, explained the styles of beer we like and the bartender just kept setting us up with recommendations the whole night, and each one was a hit. Â Commercial Tap House definitely has the best selection of beers in the Fan, and the specialty casks that the bartender was telling us about definitely piqued my interest.
We had already eaten dinner so we didn't really get to try the food. Â My girlfriend just had a pretzel to soak up some of the booze and said it was pretty good. Â I'll update with a food review after my return trip.
If you're a serious beer drinker in the Fan, I would recommend this place without hesitation.
EDIT: after last night's experience, they are staying at 3 stars - and that's only because they still have a decent beer selection. last night the service was AWFUL (and it's not a big place). i actually sat and watched my food sitting in the kitchen window for a good 5 minutes before the server even saw it. and then it took another 5 minutes before he brought it to us.
also, i realized that their beer descriptions are not very accurate. i bought two beers last night based on their descriptions and neither of them were even close to how the beer tasted. so basically it was wasted money. here's a tip for when you go there: if the description says "hoppy," it isn't. the hoppiest beer on their menu didn't even mention hops in the description.
ORIGINAL REVIEW: i'm giving it three stars for now, but i've only been there once and will probably end up upping that to 4. this is the first place i've found in richmond that has a good beer selection. the food was okay - nothing to write home about - but the beer is the real star of the show here. they may not have the most extensive selection, but what they have is pretty good.
Four stars on just the beer and staff alone - I have yet to try the food [although my friends live for the big pretzels].
We stumbled across this place because we heard the beer selection was fantastic, and you wouldn't have to deal with the questionable and abrasive clientele that frequents Capital Ale House. Â Commercial Tap House hit right on the mark. Â Not only is their selection of hard-to-find draft beers admirable, but so is the staff's knowledge of each one. Â They will let you know their honest opinions regarding each brew, and if they like it, they are more than happy to give you a taste.
Their selection of bottled beers is also extensive and fairly-priced. I knew I really liked the place when I found out I could order an Aventinus for under $7. But when they plopped it down with an official Schneider-Weisse Aventinus glass, it was nothing less than love.
Their beers are constantly being rotated, so it's like a game trying find out what new and exciting things to drink will be offered each week.
If you like good service and love to relax in peace with a good beer, Commercial Tap House will quickly become one of your favorite places in Richmond.
I love this bar. i like the tables, i like all of the beers they have on tap, and i like the staff.
i don't like how the bathroom is always freezing in winter. but that is my only complaint.
the beer list changes often, which is awesome, because there's usually something new to try. generally, my stand by is a snakebite - half cider, half lager.
the taphouse isn't much of a party bar, but it's a great place to go with a handful of friends for a relaxed, fun evening. you can actually see and hear each other in this bar, unlike some darker, louder places, which is great.
This place is dim, cramped, a bit smelly, and can get pretty hot in the summer. It's also the best bar on Robinson Street. I believe there are over 15 draught beers available, comprised of a rotating selection of American micros and European ales. They keep a cask-coniditioned ale on tap too which leads me to believe there are some real beer-loving regulars that frequent this place. Cask beer is so good and so fresh! Last time I was there they carried a St. George, a brewer I typically don't like, but I feel like you can never go wrong with the cask ale. I recommend you try one next time you're either here or at Cap Ale.
The menu is pub grub but it's also very cheap and very good. This is my go-to spot for a burger, fries, and two (maybe 3) imperial pints of delicious beer.
Did I mention I can walk here? Yeah...the Fan is amazing.
This is possibly the coolest hole in the wall restaurant / bar in the Fan. I love it. been coming here about 9 years now.
They have an excellent selection of draft and bottle beers - ones that you don't find in most bars in Richmond. Try the Snowgoose. It's great when they have it (they don't have it all year round).
The food is amazing here. The Southern Baja Fried Chicken is excellent. Comes with a honey sauce that is great. The fries are delish.
Last time i was there i ordered the chicken wings, and i was amazed. Figured a joint like this would have fairly crappy wings, but they're amazing. Excellent flavor.
The waitstaff is friendly (i guess they know me by now :), and the music they play is great. Check it out next time you're in that part of the fan.
Good for the beers not so much for the food. They had strong bow AND Sierra Nevada on tap which I loved. Service was terribly slow. The server seemed like he was too cool to serve us. I got the fish and chips which was pretty good, but SOO greasy. In fact it made my stomach hurt. Â It was also smoky in there, but I guess thats expected in a bar in Virginia. I might go back to drink, but not eat.
Review Source:more diverse atmosphere than the rest of the bars on the street, and best selection of beers on the street. Â Not crowded (or at least the times that I've been in, it wasn't too busy) and a noise volume where you can carry on a conversation. Â Unfortunately they close early, (Around 1am or so) apparently because the hospital is across the street.
Review Source:Thanks to a completely random and spontaneous trip to Richmond one night, we happened to stumble upon CTH after calling a friend and telling him to Google restaurants and live music in the area. Â He closed his eyes and pointed to one, and it just happened to be this place.
How wonderful.
I don't even remember what day it was, but we arrived late, so there was no live music, but we didn't think it was a big deal. Â From the first reviewer I gathered that there are two levels to this restaurant, which I wasn't aware of. Â We sat on the first level, right in front of the bar, and were approached by our waitress right away. Â Their beers on tap are fabulous, and they also had a plethora of bottles available. Â
Their food was great as well, we had sandwiches (a burger and a chicken, i think), the service was super fast, and I thought the prices were unbeatable. Â
This was the best blind-restaurant pick ever, and I told our friend so. Â I'm calling him next time too. Â Try it sometime, you may end up and a super-cool place like Commercial....but make sure your friend is Greek, I think it helps.
Its spots like this one that make me miss Richmond, Va. Hence the name, Tap House maintains a plethora of (reasonably) local brews on tap and the selection rotates by season and availability. If they happen to be offering a Cask Conditioned Ale definitely check it out. Along with great beers Tap house offers a great menu. If you're going for dinner the upstairs dining area is extra cozy. Â Ask your server or the bar tender about which beer goes best with menu items. Â The staff is warm, knowledgeable and courteous. Â CTH isn't that big so it's not the type of place you want to show up to with a large group randomly. Definitely call and make arrangements. CTH thanks for the memories.
Review Source:
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