cwojo99

Have eaten many times at the Tobacco Company and Love it! It's near the Jefferson Hotel.

The restaurant has been around for over 30 years and has live entertainment usually on the weekends.

http://thetobaccocompany.com/

8-)

JanetKMR

Do not go to The Tobacco Company. Unless you want to time warp to 1985.

NeoPatrick

So what's wrong with time warping to 1985? That was a pretty good year. And if it means the place won't be filled with loud young pretty people showing off their trendiest new clothes and being pretentious with a noise level that will shake the rafters, it sounds even better.

JanetKMR

Nothing in theory But if someone is going to visit Richmond I don't want them to think of Tobacco Company as representative of the best of Richmond eats....lol.

I don't know of any Richmonder who dines there. Several will go for drinks/nightlife though.

cwojo99

I live in Va and love eating at the tobacco co. So... I suggest eat at all the recommendations and post your findings!

charlesaf3

Much as I'd never personally choose to eat at the Tobacco Co., I have to admit the one time I met a friend there for snacks the food was actually pretty decent. You can do better, but it wasn't bad.

NeoPatrick

How funny that this thread popped back up from a year ago. That trip was cancelled last spring as I ended up flying up rather than driving, but the first part of May THIS year, my partner and I will be doing the trip. And I just booked a night at Richmond -- the second Friday in May. I booked at Hyatt Place near the airport as it is about $200 cheaper than anything nice downtown I could find. (Would love to stay at The Jefferson, but $300 for a place to just sleep overnight?) The Tobacco Company following drinks at The Jefferson still sounds pretty good to me. I just revisited the menu. While there may be more "upscale, trendy" places in Richmond, we can do those elsewhere, somehow their menu seems more "local specific".

JanetKMR

We can agree to disagree I don't think of TC as local specific at all.

We had drinks last night at Lemaire at The Jefferson and then a fabulous dinner at comfort a few blocks away. Shared a basket of fried okra (they fry them whole) with remolaude (I know that is misspelled) for dipping. I had braised ox tails with mole sauce, cheese grits and collard greens. Dh had roasted chicken, scalloped potatoes and squash casserole. Bottle of Barboursville Cabernet Franc and their signature dessert, banana pudding creme brulee.

It's not upscale or trendy. Nor are Millie's Diner, Lulu's, Edo's Squid and many others.

The current trendy (and IMO overrated) restaurant that got "Restaurant of the Year" in Style Magazine is The Roosevelt.

JanetKMR

I would also add that dinner at Lemaire has plenty of local flavor.

NeoPatrick

We are driving a two seater convertible from Florida to New Jersey. Richmond is a stop just for the night after about 7 or 8 hours of driving. We will be super casual. We might be stretching a bit to casually enter the Jefferson and have a cocktail, but somehow I just don't think we'd feel comfortable in that VERY formal looking Lemaire having a "destination" dinner under the circumstances. Just a casual Tobacco Company dinner somehow seems more "right". Does that make sense?

Or perhaps Comfort --just looked at the website and it does look and sound great. Although there are no pictures of the interior. Tell me -- will the two of us be lined up at those "detestable" two top banquettes? And will it be super loud?
I don't dare mention "banana pudding creme brulee" to my partner or there will be no turning back! LOL

NeoPatrick

Ooops. Never mind. It looks like we can expect a wait on Friday night of at least an hour -- perhaps a lot more -- at Comfort. Don't think we want to do that, especially if we've already done cocktails at The Jefferson and have a long drive again the next day.

JanetKMR

I don't dare mention "banana pudding creme brulee" to my partner or there will be no turning back! LOL
___
That alone will be worth the trip And yes, it is come as you are.....very casual (thought it is loud when crowded).

Lulu's takes reservations and is casual http://www.lulusrichmond.com/dinner.aspx It's the same people who have Millie's Diner.

The wait at Comfort depends a lot on what is happening at Theater IV and the Siegal Center. You could call from the bar at Lemaire and see what the wait is looking like.