Terrific oysters. Great cocktails. Awesome appetizers. Entrees? Hit or miss for the price. Get the whole fish, scallops, or any specials. I'm not sure why there are heavy creamy dishes or overly warm soups on a menu in the summertime.
Beautiful space but noisy, definitely a great place to go with a group. Make a reservation.
I can not say enough about Rappahannock, they seem to do it all right. Â I've been in the restaurant business my entire life and I'm over critical of most restaurants because I know how important little details are. Â I do not know the mind behind Rappahannock, but this individual is very talented. Â The decor, the aroma, the educated staff, the most unique bar menu in Richmond, and of course the food (which was amazing each of the four times I've been there). Â In my opinion, this is the five star restaurant in Richmond.
Review Source:My husband's work was celebrating a major achievement. Â They had enough people to rent the whole place. Â It was packed, but the service and food were outstanding. Â Â Shrimp, Scallops, a variety of Oysters and salads were all fresh and perfectly prepared with summery garnishes at 2 serving stations that were continually refreshed. Â It was so delicious! Â
The bar and bartenders were impressive in their use of fresh ingredients and unique flavor profiles. Â They also had some really fantastic non-alchoholic options that looked and tasted the part without the alchohol. Â They were very busy all night, but never broke a sweat. Â The servers working the room were focused mainly on drinks, but this was a very large crowd. Â They were attentive, friendly, knowledgeable and prompt. Â
I personally loved the decor with the exposed distressed beamsand sealed floor and partially open kitchen. Â The bar is really large and nicely shaped with rounded corners, but it was hard to get around the room due to our really large party. Â It was clear that this wouldn't be an issue for a normal happy hour or dinner party. Â We'll definitely be back.
My first visit was last Friday night - arrived with a date around 7pm with no reservation. Â Was surprised to see the bar almost empty, but also glad that we didn't have to wait. Â The drink I ordered was phenomenal - the El General. (in fact I blogged about it - check out my blog!).
I tried oysters - Rappahannocks & old salts. Â This was my third attempt to like oysters, having failed miserably two other times when I was younger. Â I absolutely loved them. Â Delicious & I can't wait to go back!
Really solid and unique seafood place downtown. Â I am so glad so many cool places have started opening up in this particular section of downtown! Â
When you walk in you immediately notice three things - the giant corner windows letting in lots of light, the HUGE bar in the middle of the restaurant and the smell of smokey grilled goodness. Â
I went with a large group and our waiter was phenomenal - totally on top of everything and explained the dishes we had questions about. Â I would go back for the service alone...but that's not all! Â The food was fantastic. Â
I ordered an appetizer because I felt awkward about not ordering oysters (not my favorite thing, but I've been told this place has the best). Â My tuna crudo app was okay for what it was, but I probably wouldn't order it again. Â My entree however was heaven on a plate - the scallops. Â I can't wait to go back so I can order it again. Â YUM. Â
All in all a great new spot that everyone needs to check out - they are on opentable which I appreciate and wish more locally owned places took advantage of!
5 stars for bartender Jason. He totally rocks. And if you order the Bartender's Choice, he'll craft you a mouthwatering cocktail.
I finally checked out Rappahannock last night for dinner and drinks with the girls, and I loved it. I knew I would love it, so I'm kicking myself a little for waiting so long to try it. We arrived earlier than our planned meal time, to allow for pre-dinner cocktails at the bar. The square-shaped bar is in the center of the dining room, making it the focal point of the venue. And a bonus for all you ladies out there - they have handbag hooks below the bar. Barely a moment after sitting down, we already had menus and waters in front of us, so the visit was immediately off to a great start. After perusing the menu, my friend and I were feeling adventurous, so we both went with the Bartender's Choice. Jason asked us what our preferred spirits were, and what flavors we enjoyed, before creating kick-ass cocktails that were right up our respective alleys. I highly recommend going this route if you're up for a surprise.
Once our entire party arrived, we migrated to a table, where we enjoyed a tasty meal. Of course I had to start with oysters - and because I'm always down for variety, I went with two of each of the three offerings. Love me some oysters, and these were fantastic. I was also 100% sold on the soft shell crab app the moment I saw it on the menu. Holy amazingness. From the sauce to the textures to the flavor combos, I was such a fan that I came very close to ordering a second portion. If you like soft shells, then you have to get this. Just trust. Pure perfection. I will definitely be ordering it on my next visit, and feeling very sad that I'm eating anything else in the meantime.
A chill vibe, stellar spirits, and delicious dishes abound at this downtown spot.
I kind of agree with the over hype that some people speak of. Â Dont get me wrong its pretty damn good but way over priced. Â Will I come here again? YES! Is it a reason to drive to Richmond?(2 hours) Maybe.
Oysters were good but I think pricey, but then Ive been going to the northern neck for 30 plus years so I'm used to cheap oysters. Â Service was ok they were really busy so what did I expect.
This place is amazing. Â Decided to go for our Friday Night date night and we were both very impressed. Â When you walk in the first thing you notice is the bar, which is front and center. Â We sat down and decided to order a few libations a Manhattan for me and a welcome home for the man. Â Both drinks had whiskey but were both very different and delish. Â
Since we were at an oyster bar I had to have a few of the rappahannock oysters. Â They were buttery and not too briny just the way I like my oysters. Â For our entrees I got the scallops and oxtail and he got the whole fish. Â OMG the scallops were to die for. Â They were perfectly cooked and so sweet. Â The oxtail melted in my mouth. Â They weren't kidding when they said it was a whole fish. Â It was also delicious and kept reaching over to steal a few bites. Â
We decided to order a second drink. Â I went for the cucumber mango drink with the siriacha salt which was very refreshing. Â My hubby decided to be adventurous and go for the Bartenders Choice assuming that its whatever the bartender feels like making at that moment. Â However, the server asks you your preference in liquor and what flavor profiles you like and the bartender goes from there. Â He ended up with a reverse Manhattan. Â
We ordered the peach donuts with pistachio and lemon curd for dessert. Â It was ok, but we both felt that the pistachio overtook the other flavors and it was really not worth the 150 calories (or whatever the calorie count was)
All in all this was a very enjoyable meal and we can't wait to come back.
Okay, so I only came here after the owners at the oyster farm mentioned to me that they were opening one at this Richmond. In no way are the 2 similar. The original is more of a semi-fancy oyster bar on the docks, and here in Richmond, they have tried to make everything classy.
People tend to come here to drink lots of wine it seems. So it can be really loud here. Also, because of what they're serving, people tend to dress pretty classy. The raw schucked oysters are great like usual. I would recommend the olde salte's if any. They tend to have the most briny flavor. The rappahannocks are pretty sweet. Â The food is classy and they really do try to emphasize quality in their food, which is commendable. Is it great? Well let's just say it's a good effort. I am not sure if I would come here again, but if I ever want oysters in Richmond, I would go here to just get some raw oysters. I just wish that they had baked oysters at this location.
I have eaten at quite a few restaurants in Richmond and this makes the top 5. The food was terrific. My only complaint was a very salty salad. It wasn't inedible, but half as much salt in the salad would have made this a 5 star place to eat. The pan fried grouper was fabulous. It had a slight citrus undertone that (unlike the over salted salad) had me savoring each bite. For dessert, I had apple cobbler. Not too sweet and spiced nicely, it left me wanting more. I will definitely visit again.
Review Source:I have been wanting to try this place ever since I saw it and looked it up on Yelp to see how good this place was. We arrived when service was just starting and were seated close to the entrance and the bar. The bar is the centerpiece of the place, but there's good spacing between tables so we weren't on top of others.
The Food.
-Oyster trio (pictured)
I believe we tried the Rappahannocks, the Witch Ducks (?), and the Olde Salts. I really enjoyed the Witch Ducks or whatever was in the middle of my trio the most. To be honest, it has been awhile since I've had such good oysters that I enjoyed it all! I'm kinda craving for some as I type this. I know the oyster availability changes over time, but just try one of each at least for a starter!
-Rockfish and cat oyster bourride (pictured)
I had no idea what a bourride is to begin with, but this caught my eye since I saw poached egg. I love runny yolk. The waitress had to warn me that this would be more on the soupy side and she was right. It came as a soup with toasted bread and poached egg on top. I think I need directions on how to eat this elegantly or not so awkwardly since I had no idea what to do. It's definitely a dish to enjoy on a cold day. Also, a bit of a head scratcher, but maybe I just need directions on how to eat this? Still, I love the rockfish and oysters in this dish. Broth was very flavorful!
-Apple Cobbler (pictured)
So the big finish to our meal! This took awhile to come to our table, but we soon found out why. This thing had to be made from scratch. It was soooooo goooooood! Hot cobbler and ice cream.... my friends and I were scooping it as fast as we could to enjoy it all.
The Service.
Our waitress was super helpful in offering suggestions and explaining the origins of the place. She also made a point to tell us on what order to eat the oysters to enjoy the range of flavors. There were also a bunch of people from the wait staff to the people that were so kind enough to offer to take pictures of my friends and I since it would be our last time together. Can't beat that kind of service!
Overall, I love that there's a seafood place in Richmond that's legit. I'm from the beach and the oysters have me coming back. Plus the friendly service is exceptional!
PS. Ladies, you may end up leaving this place smelling like leaving a campfire. Plan accordingly.
Enjoyed dinner here with a friend recently based on "rumor" and we found that this rumor is true.
Service was good, ambiance was nice, food was yummy.
I tried one each of the oysters- just because- and then went for the scallops with ox tail which I really enjoyed. I worried a little that curry and seafood might be a bad combo- but they knew what they were doing.
My friend had the chicken special- which wasn't as "special" as she hoped, but tasty nonetheless. She said nest time she would stick with the seafood.
Ended up getting wine, so the beer list is just ok. But wine is good, too!
Airy, open feel. And they do a wood fire grill thing (we watched the vendors stacking the wood)- so they lose sustainability points but I guess it gives them cool factor if you're in to that sort of thing.
This is the place I'm taking my dad next time he comes into town.
Okay, as stated in my Yelp nickname, I'm a picky pescatarian. So naturally that puts me in a pretty weird spot going into a seafood restaurant known for its raw bar. However, Rappahannock won me over with its diverse menu, casual-cool ambience, and fantastic service.
Some friends and I made reservations for dinner on a Sunday night, and we were happily greeted and shown to our table. Our waitress was friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable from the start, as she patiently answered our questions (some were raw oyster newbies) and described in detail what "bourride" was. We got started with some drinks (great beer selection, and prosecco on draft!) and some small plates: one couple tried the oyster soup which was apparently as delicious as it smelled, and we ordered several of the raw oysters as well. Though i wasn't brave enough for that yet, the feedback was quite positive.
As for entrees, our table ended up with a seafood cassoulet special, two tilefish specials, the grilled shrimp dish, the rockfish brandade, and the rockfish and oyster bourride. I had the bourride, and it helped me overcome my dislike of fennel and got me to try oysters (cooked, though). Though I was not a huge fan of the oysters (the texture is not my thing), the rest of the dish was fantastic: a light, flavorful broth, thinly sliced potatoes, and sweet large chunks of rockfish served with grilled bread and a poached egg to top it all off. Reviews from the rest of the diners were glowing as well, and the presentation of all the dishes was very nice -- so nice I took pictures of them all. When we go again I'll probably get the brandade just because I had no idea that it would be a mashed-potatoes-like fish dish with bread, which is an unbeatable combo for me.
After another glass of prosecco/beer each, my friends opted to split some desserts: the cobbler and the cheese plate. I tried a bite of the cobbler -- good, but nothing special. We wrapped things up, and our server brought the checks. She'd split the desserts three ways across the three couples, not realizing it was really more of a two-way split. We asked her to adjust our bills, which she gladly did, and we bid her and the friendly bartender adieu.
SO: I had a lovely time at Rappahannock on all fronts. I tried new and "exotic" foods and even liked most of them! I enjoyed learning from and talking to our waitress. I paid less than $60 for three drinks and two seafood entrees. And I will definitely be headed back.
Sara and I drove around one very recent Friday night looking for a dinner spot for what seemed to be forever. Â Finally ended up here, and I'm so glad we did.
We didn't have reservations so we waited at the bar for about 20 mins on a table and for our friends Jason and Megan to join. Â While waiting we watched the young kid skillfully and quickly shuck fresh oysters and clams for food service.
I started with from the raw bar with 2 each of the 3 types of oysters they had to offer that evening. Â All of them delicious in their own way and it was interesting how they were each subtly different.
For my main course I had the whole fish, snapper with a green rice and some kind of veg that was good but who cares about the veg when the fish was this good. Â The fish was very fresh, cooked perfectly, and well prepared. Â Everyone at the table enjoyed it. Â Of the others food, I remember the scallops were good, but I mainly stuck to my own plate that night and let everyone help me.
I can't wait to go back and try something else.
The one thing I would change - serving a basket of fresh bread for the table. Â All four of us agreed that everything was delicious but with all the alcohol and protein being served some carbs to absorb the alcohol would have been great.
My husband and I are very familiar with Rappahannock oysters, having several restaurants in our home of Roanoke, VA that serve them and of course the vacation that we planned around going to Merrior, the home base of Rappahannock oysters. This restaurant was amazing! Rustic in decor, with a huge bar in the middle with several bar-tenders and gents shucking fresh oysters. We had the pleasure of Sarah as our waitress. She was not only helpful, prompt, courtesy and kind (all the essentials of great wait staff) but really went above and beyond the call of duty, by getting us the information for their sister restaurant in Washington, DC. FRESH oysters, yummy caviar and a great waitress. We love this place!
Review Source:Another recommendation from a Richmond native while in RVA for a recent weekend, it was another hot new restaurant in town that had only been open for 2 months. Â A more casual oyster bar has also opened in DC at the new Union Market, but this is their full service restaurant.
It was hopping on a Sunday night, so do make reservations. Â Also, until they find a way to streamline the system or finish working out the kinks, go to enjoy your company and don't have any plans within 2-2.5 hours of your reservation. Â Otherwise, you'll have a high chance of missing a 9:30pm movie at the Byrd Theatre even if your table is ready at 7:45pm. Â Or go early, before the kitchen has been backed up with orders.
That being said, our waiter and the hostess were extremely friendly and the former was very apologetic - though we never brought it up nor complained how long things were taking. Â He was obviously also rather swamped. Â We just scrapped our plans and relaxed so that we could still enjoy our dinner.
We put in for raw bar items right away, but ended up receiving the tuna crudo first - an hour later. Â Though I've gotten pretty bored with raw tuna preparations, the ingredients still lured us to order it (Castelvetrano olives, preserved lemon, radish, Calabrian chiles). Â While fresh, it lacked any oomph of something special. Â At the same time, the ingredients didn't overwhelm the subtle flavor of the fish, either, so perhaps it's my fault for ordering it. Â For the 4 thin slices and the price, I prefer Japanese preparations and wouldn't order it again.
We ordered a sampler of each oyster available that day (Rappahannock River, Witch Duck, and Olde Salt) as well as the Olde Salt clams from the raw bar. Â While I've seen and had Rappahannock Rivers at other restaurants in DC, they certainly didn't taste as fresh as these did. Â They were pleasingly mild and balanced. Â Better yet, the Witch Ducks were both briny and sweet, and the Olde Salts were bright and the most briny of all. Â I really liked the latter two, and definitely will make the trip to the oyster bar in DC just for them. Â The Olde Salt clams were tender yet with a firm bite, and super briny as well. Â They almost were on the iodine side of briny, though, because they were so pungent...and I'm not sure if I liked them despite it or not.
The Olde Salt clams were also available as a larger entree dish - steamed, with housemade pancetta, fino sherry, lacinato kale, toasted barley, marcona almonds, and grilled bread. Â The Olde Salts were better steamed (I usually slightly prefer raw), but the alcohol flavor was a touch too strong, overpowering the other elements of the dish. Â Admittedly, this happens often when I steam and cook clams as well, so I've proven I can easily re-create the execution of this dish at home.
Other than the oysters, my favorite dish had to be the grilled Outer Banks (NC) shrimp with green olive aioli, pickled kohlrabi, and arugula. Â OBX shrimp, along with sweet shrimp/botan ebi/spot prawn, are my favorite shrimp in the world. Â These were a touch past perfectly cooked, but man, they were still delicious. Â Lovely grilled flavor, beautiful char. Â I even ate parts of the crispy flavorful shell and legs (and dug out the sweet, delicate contents of the head). Â The green olive in the aioli was likely Castelveltrano again, which is very mild - almost like a ripe black olive. Â And the acidity of the kolhrabi and arugula was spot on.
Still a bit hungry, we split a dessert - the buttermilk panna cotta with a berry sauce (raspberry? if I recall correctly) and citrus segments/zest. Â It was tangy, yet sweet, and delicate, with only a scattering of vanilla bean throughout. Also awesome.
Despite some of the misses and the long wait for food to arrive, I still would come back - but probably for a light meal with drinks during happy hour or something. Â Those oysters and that shrimp really are that good. Â Though...I would also be tempted to try the whole grilled fish that I saw arrive at the table next to us. Â It looked amazing.
The good :
This is an awesome addition to the Richmond restaurant scene. Â I'm very happy that this place is injecting some much-needed life into Grace Street. Â Kudos to the owners for taking an old building and renovating it into a sleek and modern gem rather than plopping this place in Short Pump.
They have a killer raw oyster and clam selection and the fried oysters are divine. Â The Olde Salts were definitely my favorite. Â I had the ceviche appetizer for my entree and it was definitely big enough. Â YUM.
The bad :
The place was packed! Â But hey, that's a good thing.
The ugly :
Grace Street after dark? Â In time, I'm hoping that more restaurants and bars will open up here.
Atmosphere: 4 stars
Service: 5 stars, really friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable
Drinks: 4 stars (the Potter's Craft Cider was amaZing and very dry, they way i LIKE it!)
Roasted root veg salad: was not what I was expecting, didn't love the flavors 3 stars
Grilled shrimp: 5 stars...heads with eyeballs!
Tri tip steak: 3 stars..was kind of tough
Grilled whole red snapper: 5 stars very tasty, moist, and flaky
buckwheat crepe and chocolate ganache cake: 4 stars, very tasty but the ganache was a little too heavy for the lightness of the crepes (a better version of crepe cake is with mascarpone)
We did try two of the mildest oysters on the house, because neither of us had oysters before. They were good, but I don't think I'm an oyster person...it was very nice of them to offer them on the house.
Needless to say, I would definitely return if I was a local, but I would stick to seafood.
--This review is just based on their raw items--
I have been super excited to try Rappahannock ever since I tried some of their oysters while they were sampling them at Ellwood Thompson. I thought they were so flavorful and had the perfect amount of brininess. I couldn't stop thinking about how sweet and buttery their Rappahannock oysters were.
--Oysters--
$2 each
I came here with a small group of fellow oyster lovers and we ordered some from each of the 4 types they had that night [Rappahannock, Witch Ducks, Olde Salts--the 4th name I don't remember]. The $2/oyster is a fair and standard price. They were on the small size, which is okay if they make up for it in taste. These unfortunately did not. For example, their namesake oyster was not as buttery and sweet as the ones I tried before. Overall, the flavor of the oysters was pretty standard and a little muddled in my opinion. I don't know if it's just a bad time for oysters in general, but I just wasn't impressed since I have tasted these oysters before. Â
--Clams--
$1.50 each
I personally like the aftertastes that raw clams have so I really enjoyed them. They had a firm texture which was a nice contrast to all the oysters.
--Service--
Our waitress was quick, attentive, pleasant, and explained the menu items very well. I also liked how they arranged their oysters in order of saltiness.
Overall, I spent over $50 on just raw items and left unsatisfied. If I do return, I will probably skip out on the raw items and try their other menu items instead.
Food: 2
Value: 2
Service: 4
Overall: 3
Oh.My.GAWD.
I'm an admitted bivalve phreaque, so having oysters will guarantee that I'll at least give you a try. These folks have some phreaque-in' OYSTERS. Heck, they grow their own, and they are succulent, salty, slippery nuggets of pure perfection.
But then they have to go and serve stuff like Barcat oyster chowder, and fluke ceviche, and ... well, here's the full rundown:
Started with 2 dozen oysters (no, I was *not* dining a seule!), did two 1-dozen flights of a mix of the three types of oysters they had today, ranging from light and sweet to savory-salty. Served with fresh horseradish and mignonette - perfection.
With these, I had a Spanish, which is a gin'n'tonic with enticing ruffles and flourishes: licorice root, juniper berries, and orange peel.
Next up: Barcat chowdah. Bacon, oysters, potatoes, creamy/oyster-liquored brothiness. Need I say more? (If you said yes, you're crazy, or have no soul whatsodamnever.)
We moved on to fluke ceviche - which included blood oranges, and a seasoning mix that was stellar in its diversity and palate impact - and a smoked Scottish salmon trout plate with beets, castelvetrano olives, creme fraiche, and Grinnel caviar. All either of us could say, in between groans of gustatory pleasure, was "holy merde!" and "shut the front door!" (those comments are bowdlerized in case kids are watching)
Were we done? Oh, hellz no. Our final course was a dish they tagged Oysters and Pearls - six of their lovely bivalves topped with nori granita and trout caviar. This was the most amazing explosion of flavor I've had in many a meal: the briny oyster, the sweet-and-salty nori seaweed infused shaved ice, the beautiful little pearls of orange trout caviar. Along with that, we had their mixed-lettuces salad, which included some shaved fennel and apples, some shavings of a great Pennsylvania cheese called 5 Spoke Tumbleweed, all lightly dressed with a sherry vinaigrette. And Billy Bread croutons.
OH.MY.GAWD.
We tried their prosecco on tap, as well as the Muscadet and Savignon Blanc/Savignon Gris blend they have by the glass. Prosecco was good, the wines were better.
Only quibble in the whole meal? The potato chunks in the chowder were large enough that they held too much heat. We think they could be cut in half. Seriously, that's it.
I have to mention the service, which was prime. Personal, personable, knowledgeable, everything that's needed for a great restaurant experience.
As we walked back down Grace St. in the afterglow, my lunch partner said that it was the best lunch he'd had since he'd lunched at Taillevant in Paris almost 10 years ago.
That's a thing.
This is now, IMO, the destination restaurant of River City. And that's saying something, 'cause we got some FOOD in this town, people.
I was highly curious after reading mixed reviews but decided to try it for a date on Saturday. Â As suggested by fellow yelpers, I made a reservation-and it's a good thing! Â The place was packed but we were seated immediately. The restaurant isn't huge, so quarters can be a little cramped at times, but it really didn't bother me or my date.
The drink menu was really impressive! Â Not only do they have a fantastic selection of draft beer, I really loved their artisan cocktails. Â I read an interview with the bartender Rappahannock brought in from DC in last weeks style the next day and felt pretty special for having the opportunity to try one of her soon-to-be-famous concoctions.
My date and I ordered oysters-that's it. Â We tried the Rappahannock and Witch Ducks, both were delicious! Â I'm not sure what they put in their signature mignonette sauce, but I'm relatively certain it had crack in it. Â Best mignonette I've had-ever. Â The fresh shredded horseradish is also a perfect compliment. Â The oysters were awesome, well shucked and not gritty at all. Â If you're new to oysters, try a few grilled, they're awesome! Â
The service was top notch. Â The restaurant was really busy so drinks were a little slow getting to the table, but the server was fast and attentive.
I will definitely be back, a lot!
If this place was nothing but the oysters, it would still get five stars since the oysters are that good. We got a sampling of their three types of oysters, the Rappahannock, the one whose name I forgot, and the Olde Salt. The one whose name I forgot were everyone's favorite, with a nice balance of saltiness and smoothness.
But our other appetizers and entrees were great as well. Members of our group got the cerviche, the rockfish and oyster bourride, the grilled scallops, and the grouper, and all of them were delicious. The prices on the food seem reasonable for the quality that you're getting; the only quibble that I have is that their beer prices are a little high. The server was very attentive and we got seated right away with a reservation.
But all in all, definitely worth it if you can get a reservation. I called a few days in advance and my only options for Saturday night were 6pm and before or after 8.30. But it is worth it!
Rappahannock is a classic example of Richmonders getting carried away with the unfortunately empty allure of pretentiously high prices, swanky atmosphere, and local hype.
To begin with, the service is unforgivably bad. We had reservations and were not seated until 45 minutes after our reservation time. Meanwhile, we managed to be served at the bar where it took them over 45 minutes to shuck oysters. I was almost tempted to jump over the bar and just shuck them myself. Though the cocktails were wonderful, and I truly enjoyed my oysters, our frustrations with the service got worse after we were informed that they weren't able to transfer our check to the table from the bar. Hence it took even longer for us to be seated since we had to flag down a bartender, wait for them to get our bill, and then run the card.
The service continued to be slow at our table. Our water was never refilled, and the food took forever to come to our table. When the food did come, it was obvious that our whole cooked snapper had been sitting under a heat lamp too long - or someone just doesn't know how to cook fish properly. It was drowned in a heavy mole-like sauce that would normally overpower snapper, but because the fish was so overcooked I needed more sauce. The meat was tough and chewy with a burned flavor.
Fortunately not all of the food was horrid. The scallops on the other hand were cooked perfectly and balanced nicely by the rest of the dish. But they weren't good enough to keep us from practically sprinting around the restaurant looking for our second bill of the night so we could leave. Our patience was so tried and our wallets so empty despite dissatisfaction with nearly every aspect of the restaurant that we just wanted out - and knew it was going to take forever for us to do so.
I'd only return to Rappahannock if A) there was some type of oyster happy hour with drinks, or B) D dumped me and I had to re-enter the dating world, so someone else I didn't care about was paying. And even then I'd be annoyed by their poor restaurant choice and not go on a second date.
I came here with a few classmates for lunch when we had a long break before a workshop. We made the trek over from campus through the bitter cold, but it was worth it!
Rappahannock is a fairly new restaurant, and has an interesting dock/ship feel inside. The suspended wooden square above the bar stood out to me in particular.
Our waitress was super fun and friendly, and gladly explained to use the many kinds of oysters available as well as the various preparations. Each person in our party ended up ordering at least one oyster to try.
I also ordered a chowder to start and a fish brandade as my main entree. The soup was super warm and delicious, although a tad salty for me. The brandade was quite interesting, as it was the first brandade I had ever had. The brandade was tasty but a bit rich and also a bit salty for me. The portion was also moderate in size.
Prices here are slightly pricey, but the quality of the food is excellent. In addition, service is outstanding!
The menu rotates frequently as well, so you'll never know what you might get!
Not one to review a restaurant w/o actually eating there, but my experience my save  others some heartache.
Call for a reservation to get in this joint! We tried to roll in there at 5:45 on a Sunday evening thinking the restaurant scene would be slower and it shouldn't be too hard to get a table. WRONG! We were told it would be a 2 hr wait for a party of 5 unless we wanted to sit at the bar.
And they didn't appear to have half of the restaurant cleared for a special event or some other unusual situation.
Give this place a shot and get a reservation! :)
PS: 4 stars seem to be the happy medium between raving and giving it a blah review since i didn't actually eat there.
LOVE this place! My pal Kristin V suggested we check it out for after-work drinks when she heard there was prosecco on tap. The prosecco got us in there, but the great atmosphere, wonderful service, and amazing oysters will keep us coming back! The decor is super laid back and charming. And our server was top-notch. Kristin and I were both oyster newbies, so our server really held our hand through ordering and advised we try the Rappahannock oysters both raw and grilled, and advised us on how to top them and eat them. And they were amazing! I feel like the grilled ones especially are a great gateway drug to the world of oysters. I also tried the local flue ceviche, which was light and fresh and amazing! Tender white fish marinated with citrus, chilie, pom seeds, and cilantro and served with two big pieces of toast. Really good.
Rappahannock is a wonderful and unique addition to the Richmond restaurant scene! I can't wait to go back!
Yum yum yum!!! Â As a pescatarian I really appreciate a restaurant dedicated to delicious seafood. Â Rappahannock is more than dedicated to seafood! Â
My girl Lauren C. and I went here after work today to get a few drinks and to finally try some oysters. Â I had a bad experience with oysters at my cousin's wedding and was somewhat weary of trying them again. Â Rappahannock has 100% made me an oyster fan! Â The Rappahannock oysters they serve are absolutely delicious! Â I tried one raw and one slightly grilled, each with their own special sauce that complimented them perfectly! Â Our waitress was super nice and helpful in instructing me on the proper way to eat our oysters and the end result was delightful!
I also got the tuna crudo which was super yummy, marinated in a spicy lemon sauce.
One of the main things that I think will have me coming back for more is the fact that they have prosecco on tap! Â Prosecco, delicious seafood dishes, and my new-found love for oysters - this homegirl is hooked!
This is a fun, new place in a great location. I had the "Hangtown Fry" for brunch, and it was great. It came with fried oysters and eggs scrambled with bacon. My friend had the rock fish with potatoes and it was phenomenal. I can't wait to come out and hang out for drinks. I think their dinner menu is a lot bigger than their brunch menu, so I want to come back for that too. Â I hear they have prosecco on tap!
Review Source:Stopped by Rappahannock for lunch today, and I was a bit disappointed after reading all of the rave reviews. Â
First of all, the brunch menu is very limited. Â The only thing on it that appealed to me (and looked like it could fill me up) was the Hangtown Fry, which is scrambled eggs, (a garnish of) bacon and fried oysters... with a plain salad that they don't tell you comes with it. Â It was actually quite good although a bit... wet? Â And it did fill me up. Â But the menu is not really brunch-y.
A friend ordered the Steamed Carolina Shrimp. Â Beautiful (and he said delicious) shrimp, but it comes with nothing. Â He had to ask for bread, and still only got two very small pieces.
Our waitress was okay but not excellent (she didn't know how to pronounce "fraiche" which means she doesn't know what that is or means), and the kitchen was slow. Â And it wasn't even busy. Â Our glasses got filled once, but should've been filled more. Â We'd just run 8 miles, and perhaps we were thirstier than most, but still. Â
I did take a look at the dinner menu, and it looks a lot better. Â I do want to go back for dinner and try the rockfish, grouper or scallops. Â I would also like to try some caviar when I'm in the mood to splurge. Â
From the moment you walk in, the first thing you notice is the huge bar. Â And after you take a look at the drink menu, it's easy to see that the bar is their thing. Â We didn't have any drinks today. Â So it seems we didn't get to enjoy much of what they probably do best. Â Translation, go at night, not during the day.
Four stars for this visit is actually generous. Â I probably lean toward 3 or 3.5 at best. Â Yes, I am swayed by the 4 and 5 stars everyone else gave. Â I usually give a spot a second chance, especially when I can see potential for better, which I do in the dinner menu.
First time in Richmond, and decided to check this out. Made a reservation on OpenTable, and we were promptly seated when we arrived. It's new (3 weeks old), and amazing! Â
1) Great ambiance with dim lighting and spacious seating.
2) Great, GREAT service. Our server, Alex, was extremely thoughtful with all our requests and kept up with my mom's hot water refills without needing any reminders. She made several suggestions that definitely pushed the meal from excellent to foodie nirvana. The manager Daniel stepped out to say hello, and his friendliness and enthusiasm made this already great experience - exceptional. Props! Â
3) WOW the food. Several pictures to be posted soon. To start with, I had two raw oysters (yes you can order separately and not just a half dozen). They have 3 types- Â Rappanahook, Witch Duck, and Olde Salt - in order of briny-ness. Loved the Witch Duck and Rappanahook, will have to try Olde Salt next time. For entrees, I had the Whole Grilled Fish, which was so fresh and well-prepared that my mother stole several bites across from me - and she never does that. My mother had the Olde Salt Clams & House-made Pancetta, which i stole a bite of, and that was flavorful and wonderful too! Â Great to pair with our glasses of Verdelho white wine. We didn't want the dinner to end, and so we ordered the Buttermilk Panna Cotta...so stuffed!!!!
If I visit Richmond again, Â I will definitely be back! :)
What are you doing? Are you making reservations for Rappahannock? Go make reservations, then come read my review. I'll wait.
Okay?
Okay! So, basically, I'm going to talk about just one dish. Everything here was wonderful, but there's a particularly surprising dish on the menu that really captivated me. Specifically, the Tuna Crudo. This uses powerful preserved lemon and delicate chile to draw out the deep concentrated flavor of the Akami they use. Normally, I prefer chu-toro, but this time I was really blown away by the depth of flavor provided by this leaner cut. Slivers of olive rounded out the dish, and provided a faintly briny complement to the lemon. Order This.
I've been several times since the restaurant opened only a few weeks ago. Â The funny thing is...I don't really like seafood but i love Rappahannock. Â Because of Chef Dylan, I've become a big fan of Rockfish! Â i recommend the Rockfish sandwich for lunch; it's absolutely delish! Â The side salad is a perfect match for the fish. Â For dinner, my husband was a big fan of the grouper. Â I also ordered the cheese plate as an app even though it was listed on the menu as a dessert. Â Great choice! Â Lastly, we ordered the seasonal cobbler as a treat to share with the table. Â I don't usually order dessert, but I'll certainly be getting it there again! Â Oh yeah, and did i mention Prosecco on tap?!?!?
Welcome to Richmond, Rappahannock! Â Can't wait to spend more time with you.
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