Diners' Choice: Best Ambiance restaurants in Richmond

OpenTable

Updated June 05, 2025

Looking for restaurants with the best ambiance in Richmond? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

The Tobacco Company Restaurant

4.7

4.7 (4270)

$31 to $50

American

Richmond

About the restaurant

The Tobacco Company Restaurant is proudly celebrating over 40 years as Richmond's landmark dining and entertainment venue. This four-story, breath-taking restaurant embodies the spirit of Southern hospitality and charm. The exceptional menu features slow-roasted prime rib, aged Angus steaks, fresh seafood, and an award-winning wine list. Enjoy live entertainment on our first floor or dance the night away in our lower level nightclub. Our staff is committed to excellence and the creation of an unforgettable dining experience. Open seven days a week in Historic Shockoe Slip.

Top review

Diane

Dined 3 days ago

The Tobacco Company never fails to impress. Each time that we have dined here, it has been a delicious and delightful experience. We always bring out of town guests here to dine and they always request a return visit on their next trip. Thank you Tobacco Company Restaurant for providing a wonderful evening with outstanding service and food... each time and every time we have eaten there.

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4.9

4.9 (252)

$31 to $50

Wine Bar

Henrico

About the restaurant

The Wine Whisperer is a wine shop and bistro located in Richmond's Short Pump neighborhood. We speak wine and are passionate about sharing your new favorite bottle or glass with you!

Our wine bar is designed to offer an immersive experience to our guests. Let our knowledgeable staff help you learn about your palate and curate a flight of wine just for you! Look for a rotating by the glass list, craft beers, more whiskey than you imagined, and an expansive food menu built for wine pairing. The intimate dining room is a perfect spot for a casual glass with friends or that special occasion date. Look for weekly wine tastings, monthly classes, and other special events that are uniquely Whisperer!

No reservations available? Give us a call or stop by; we save a number of tables each night for walk-in guests. For questions or to make a reservation for a larger party, please call or send a message.

Top review

EllenVIP

Dined on Jun 19, 2025

This is our 3rd trip to The Wine Whisperer, and it did not disappoint. We have the sommelier put together a lovely and unique selection of wines for a flight. They do a great job of matching wines to your particular taste. And the food can't be beat. We have never had entrees, but the nibbles and flatbreads are fabulous.

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Experience

Island Wine 2.0 - Dinner in Paradise

Experience

Aperitivo Hour

L'Opossum

4.9

4.9 (3353)

$50 and over

Contemporary American

Richmond

About the restaurant

L'Opossum offers dinner Tuesday-Saturday for parties of one to a maximum of six guests. Multiple reservations booked on the same night to form a group larger than six guests are not permitted and will be canceled. Reservations for parties of one to four guests are allotted 2 hours. Parties of five to six guests are allotted 2.5 hours. Please be courteous to your fellow diners by arriving and leaving on time. L'Opossum patrons paying with cash, enjoy a 4% savings off menu prices. To view a sample menu, visit www.lopossum.com - Thank you!

Top review

Mark

Dined on Jun 24, 2025

O’possum was wonderful! The wine and cocktails were great. The food was amazing. Desserts were delicious!

Upper Shirley Vineyards

4.7

4.7 (253)

$30 and under

American

Richmond

About the restaurant

Upper Shirley Vineyards, perched above one of the most beautiful bends on the James River and surrounded by history, brings you the best of Virginia: culinary delights, award-winning wine, and events you’ll remember for a lifetime. Whether you’re looking for a day away or the best place to stage your dream wedding, Upper Shirley Vineyards will exceed your expectations.

Top review

kathyVIP

Dined 4 days ago

Always a great experience at Upper Shirley. Food and service were first rate.

Buckheads - Richmond

4.9

4.9 (2083)

$50 and over

Steak

Richmond

About the restaurant

Buckhead’s has been a Richmond tradition since 1994. Featuring succulent Braveheart Beef and only the freshest seafood, you can taste our passion for culinary excellence. Consistently recognized with Wine Spectator’s “Best of Award of Excellence”, our list offers over 800 labels to complement your dining experience. Additionally, our bar proudly highlights one of the largest selections of single malt scotches and small batch bourbons in Richmond, Virginia.

Top review

KyleVIP

Dined 5 days ago

Paul was a great waiter and made our visit extra nice.

Stock Bistro & Bar

5.0

5 (145)

$31 to $50

Nordic

Richmond

About the restaurant

Stock Is a Nordic Bistro and bar inviting you to dine differently. Our restaurant is located in a lovingly restored railroad freight terminal that is also home to our stylish modern furniture gallery – Txtur. The indoor and outdoor space invites you to lounge and enjoy a meal like no other whether taking time with friends or celebrating a special event.

Whether you take your meal or cocktails in our beautiful “drafting room” dining space, the spacious main gallery, or our covered and shaded patio, Stock culinary craft and special hospitality experience is sure to please.

Craft food, drinks all in an unparalleled space – Stock is here to welcome you.

We have ample on-site parking too!

Top review

Rebecca

Dined 5 days ago

Stock is a unique and lovely experience. The food is amazing and is different from the New American fine dining lane a lot of Richmond restaurants are in (no shade, just nice to have something novel). The service was attentive but relaxed, plus it was very lovely being in the beautiful TXTUR showroom. Highly recommend!

Shirley’s

4.4

4.4 (75)

$30 and under

Pub

Petersburg

About the restaurant

Shirley’s Restaurant & Bar offers warm hospitality and the region's flavorful bounty. Menu favorites include playful twists on classic dishes, such as a tomato caprese made with buttermilk-fried green tomatoes and a grilled shrimp cocktail paired with a spicy, tomato-based sauce and homemade tortilla chips.

Executive Chef Mina Mahrous has thoughtfully crafted a menu that showcases refined American cuisine, offering an elevated dining experience. The light-filled and airy dining room of the Hotel Petersburg has been restored to its original grandeur, making it a welcoming gathering place for all.
Sundays, we offer all-day bar bites perfect for pairing with a cold beer or cocktail.

Large Party Policy: automatic gratuity of 20% will be applied and one check will be provided for parties of 6 or more guests

Top review

Melissia

Dined 4 days ago

The food was wonderful, and our server was very nice. We went for our son's birthday, and Shirley's was the perfect restaurant for the occasion.

Bookbinder's Seafood and Steakhouse

4.8

4.8 (5960)

$50 and over

Steakhouse

Richmond

About the restaurant

Bookbinder’s is a locally family owned Seafood & Steakhouse and is unique to Richmond. Bookbinder’s offers the perfect combination of rich history and atmosphere. Close to the James River in historic Tobacco Row, steak and seafood lovers will enjoy the ambiance of exposed beams and brick walls in this refurbished tobacco warehouse. From steak to lobster to seafood, each dish is intricately prepared and beautifully presented. We look forward to seeing you soon!! We are honored to have been selected as one of the 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in America for 2018, as Voted by Open Table Diners, (based on an analysis of twelve-million reviews of more than 26,000 restaurants across the country)!

Top review

Harold

Dined 3 days ago

This restaurant is a huge class act! Service, food, ambience couldn’t be better. We’re made to feel very special by the staff. Please never leave us Bookbinders!

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TJ's at the Jefferson Hotel

4.8

4.8 (700)

$30 and under

American

Richmond

About the restaurant

TJ's is open Monday-Saturday for Lunch (11am-3pm), Bar/Lounge (11am-9pm), and Dinner (5pm-9pm).

Bar / Lounge seating will be strictly first come, first served.

Top review

RogerVIP

Dined on Jun 12, 2025

Business breakfast. The eggs benedict was excellent. White tablecloth and high-end China a plus. This hotel is most impressive.

Southern Kitchen

4.7

4.7 (1728)

$31 to $50

Southern

Richmond

About the restaurant

Southern Kitchen, which is known as "The Mouth of the South" to the locals, serves up comfort food favorites. From collard greens to fried fish and chicken, the eatery provides a comfortable, relaxed spot for enjoying classic Southern food, beer, and wine for lunch, and dinner. Since opening in 2014, the restaurant has focused on providing good food paired with a classy experience and great customer service. Southern Kitchen features a variety of options for starting the meal, including fried oysters, fried okra, southern rolls, and salad. Enjoy sandwiches like the salmon cake and chicken club, or dive into some apple pecan salad, fried fish, big momma's chicken, and chicken livers and onions. Southern Kitchen also features plenty of filling plates, including the seafood platter, meatloaf, catfish, and southern-fried pork chops.

Top review

Julius

Dined 5 days ago

Had a great experience, the food and drinks were awesome. The service was top notch!

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