Every single morsel that I ate yesterday was a delight! The restaurant is aptly named. Our server, Son (I know I'm spelling this wrong and I apologize), was very pleasant and genuinely nice. We stopped by the museum and had lunch first and was surprised by the quality of the food and the menu/cocktail options. While the museum is a delight in and of itself, Amuse is the cherry on top!! We had the flank steak, lamb burger, the fries, sausage appetizer, and watermelon salad. All hits! read more

Ross was our server it was a very nice experience we tried 3 different cocktails which were very good my bf has the special of the day was steak with mushrooms and I had the land sausage and oysters with curry sauce and cheese plate oh for dessert we had sticky toffee pudding & chocolate pate read more

Since year 2012 we've visited this restaurant many times and each following time the experience got better and better, so I have to take my 3** back and gladly upgrade it to full 5** as it deserves. This time we had a very interesting interaction with Russian themed food and beverages (I guess might be because of the Faberge exhibition) and were pleasantly surprised with creative but very much recognizable taste of Russian cuisine. Because I know this cuisine well being from this country it was even more dear to experience such a wonderful interpretation of the tastes so familiar to me as a Russian native. Everything from ambiance to food and service was perfect, and the value was unbelievably great. I want to express my deep appreciation to all of the staff and particularly to the Chef Greg Haley for AMAZING experience we had. read more

Great food and a beautiful setting at the Museum. The only trouble is that it's very popular. Make a RSVP or get creative about when you go for a meal. It's an experience that's as creative as some of the artists hanging on the Museum's walls. read more

Went in for a drink atmosphere was cute and comfortable I sat down at the bar and was greeted by the manager who was very nice and professional, the "bartender" Molly greeted us not facing us , never asked us if we wanted a drink or a water , another male bartender came in very professional as well got waters ready immediately and then asked if we wanted drinks , my friend and I let him know the drinks we wanted Molly rudely stood behind him and coughed and stared I then asked if he needed to see my id and I understood because I'm abc certified and I showed mine and my friend who's been served by molly before , I asked if she could see a photo of her Id and she Rudely states your an abc manager you should know you that you need the id in hand so in that case no.. I understand where she is coming from but being rude and having absolutely no customer service experience and is not friendly , I highly recommend not dining at the bar if she'll be waiting on you. read more

Excellent but very pricey (drinks are more pricey than the food, so having a meal with tea would be almost reasonable). Not a place to hang out, but if you want to take someone to a classy locale, you could hardly do better. Two words: MAKE. RESERVATIONS. Even for lunch. read more

Gorgeous and delicious food, very satisfied with everything we ordered as well as the service. Price points of the menu were great too, considering how much more expensive mediocre food in DC costs. Hope to come back here again! read more

Beautify Patio! I had crab cake for brunch, which is very tasty, but wish the portion size was a bit bigger. Very good service!

Delicious food and outstanding service. The cocktails and desserts were themed with the special exhibit (this month Pop Art) and were both creative and tasty. The atmosphere can't be beat. On the third floor of the Virginia Museum on Fine Arts overlooking the sculpture garden (with a balcony outside), even during a thunderstorm the view can't be beat. Whereas some other places treat vegetarian requests as a nuisance, this place actively catered to no-meat requests even bringing out a meat-free amuse-bousch for me when rest of the table Gor meat dishes. Will definitely be going back when I'm in town next. read more

Consistently great cocktails, inspired food with locally sourced ingredients and good service. The view is great, and if you are museum members, you receive free parking and a discount. I recommend reservations, even for off-peak times. This spot serves high concept food in an elegant atmosphere, so if you have children, I would go to the Best Cafe downstairs instead. Support the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts! Have a cocktail and a crabcake. read more

The atmosphere is lovely and very relaxing. The menu choices are all interesting and tasty. I love the fried oysters and the crab cakes. Wine menu is also superb. A great choice if you want a special dining experience with a great view of the museum grounds. read more

Soup is wonderful. Amelia drink is a must try.

I've been to Amuse for various occasions over the years - business lunches, holiday brunches, special events, dinner, etc. The staff, the food, and the drinks never fail to impress. Add all of that to an incredible setting in an amazing fine arts museum and a great view out of the huge windows, and you've got a winner all around. read more

I've been here for dinner and for lunch. We'll start with dinner, which was fabulous. We had online reservations, and our seating was immediate although at one of their worst tables (right next to both the kitchen and the entrance of the restaurant), but this was a minor snafu as the rest of the evening made up for our less-than-prime location! The decor is very mod and "big city" -- low ceilings with round light fixtures, black marble tables (no white table cloths), a glass wall with a balcony and a wonderful view of the city. Seemed more suited to a cocktail lounge than a fine dining restaurant, which isn't a bad thing. We received a personal greeting from the manager - a refreshing touch. He checked in with us periodically throughout the meal despite the fact that it seemed as though they were very booked that evening. We are young (early 20s), and people at nice restaurants often "profile" us which can result in lesser service, but not at Amuse. Service was like clockwork - so professional across the board - and all food came out at the right temperature, and quickly. I was wearing a black dress and was brought a black napkin immediately upon sitting, without having to ask. Classy. As their name might suggest, they brought out a palate cleanser (an amuse bouche) before the appetizers arrived - a savory cantaloupe "popsicle". A very unique taste that I imagine would not suit every patron, but it was creative, and I enjoyed it. To start, we ordered the scotch egg (an unexpected offering) and the shrimp and scallop ceviche. The ceviche was the chef's take on chips and salsa. Thin plantain chips served with very fresh-tasting ceviche. I wish the plantain chips had been larger - they were so tiny I could barely scoop the ceviche with them - but the dish was tasty. My date was intrigued by the scotch egg. Interesting presentation in a "nest" of filo. Local focaccia and butter was brought out again to cleanse the palate. Yum! I would have asked for more if I wasn't afraid of coming off as a heathen. The sea bass was on special that evening at a reasonable $24, and my date ordered that. He is not a seafood lover, but he wasn't in the mood for chicken or steak. He cleaned his plate. My scallops were divine. A generous portion, cooked just right, served with a helping of starch and veggie. So many exquisite dessert options, and we chose to split the chocolate pate. OUTSTANDING! The fresh cream was delicious! Drinks were not too expensive - my Tanqueray was priced at around $7, and my rose by the glass was about the same, although it was by far their least expensive offering among their wines by the glass. I'd go for a bottle next time, as the rose was a great varietal for a mid-summer evening - light but dry, just how I like it! For two of us including a couple of drinks each, the bill came to $125, which is about what I expected. I stopped in with my parents for lunch on a separate occasion. We checked in very early for our reservation and were told there would be a wait (no complaints), but then they were able to seat us within 5 minutes! This was awesome. We were seated at the same awful table as before, but our server made up for it. He was clearly committed to giving us a great experience. I went with the salmon special. It was a bit loud in the restaurant, so when he was explaining it I suppose I missed that it was gravlox, not a salmon filet. Luckily, I wasn't in the mood for a huge portion, so this was perfect for me. The salmon was delicious but very rich. It was served with a side of micro greens topped with a yummy poached farm egg. I was very jealous of dad's dish -- crab cake with grits and collards. Huge portion. It looked incredible. Mom just got a bowl of soup. Didn't look too exciting, but seriously, who orders *just* a bowl of soup as their entree? I remembered that awesome chocolatey thing I'd gotten my previous visit, and thank god it was still on the menu. Sold! And SO GOOD, again. I highly recommend Amuse if you're trying to impress a hot date or out-of-town guests. If you're bored with the same old happy hour location, try out their snazzy bar. read more

Things started well. Friendly, efficient waitress. Then absolute ridiculousness, probably not the server's fault, but perhaps the new lunch menu, new RULES, prima donna chef? My guest ordered the burger, well done. The server responded that the burger was only cooked one way, medium. My neighbor asked if there was pink inside. The server responded that perhaps the burger was between medium and medium well, that no temperature was taken on the meat. Still, the question of doneness remained. I suggested that if the burger was not done to her satisfaction, my guest could send it back. "You should order something else," replied the server. REALLY??? This is the first time that I have ever experienced such...a kitchen unable to prepare a piece of ground beef to a desired doneness. Most restaurants, even the expensive ones, have an asterisk noting that patrons consume undercooked beef at their own risk, that such consumption may cause illness. Amuse, however, mandates that if you want a burger, you must have it their way, medium-maybe. Unpleasant experience! My guest opted to have the chicken, which she found acceptable. Re my own meal...The oyster appetizer (which I have had several times before) was acceptable, although the very wilted microgreens that garnished the plate were off-putting. I found my crabcake tiny in size and taste. The fried green tomatoes were crispily soggy. That scoop of cheesy stuff...what was it?...did not help. The roasted corn side dish had an off taste. Entree rated "blecch". The $5 soda of the day is overpriced, certainly not the best value, even though it is a tasty substitute for a midday cocktail. The ambience of the restaurant, given the museum, is wonderful, although it was significantly diminished by the burger incident. Just what has happened to the Amuse that was once a favorite restaurant? It has been some time since my previous visit. Things have definitely NOT gotten better. read more

Delicious food, atmosphere and various yummy champagne cocktails. Can't get anymore perfect.

A lovely gem at the gorgeous VMFA! Unparalleled views of the gardens, sculptures and historic buildings. Great service, delicious food, and divine cocktails. Know that you're not going to find super healthy options and "the chef doesn't alter the presentation" (when I asked for what I thought was a simple and reasonable change). And the chairs are pretty uncomfortable. read more

We came to Amuse several weeks ago for lunch mainly because we bought the Living Social deal. We went straight to the restaurant first assuming we would need reservations (we did) put our name down and spent the time wandering through the museum which is what we planned on doing anyway. It was storming outside with thunder and lightning and the lights kept flickering. Eventually they went completely off and the museum and restaurant were running on a generator. We arrived back to the restaurant about 10 minutes prior to our dining time as the host recommended us to. When we got there he was obviously stressed by the storm and lack of "real" power, he was very rude to the 2 groups of people in front of us and then to us as well when it was our turn. He basically huffed, rolled his eyes and said to us " we're on a generator people, I don't even know if I can seat you" Mind you, food was still coming out from the kitchen and there were several tables still open.. Now I get it, power plays a big part in running a restaurant and it might be stressful to not know what may happen in the next minute but that behavior should not be displayed at the host stand, it should be kept behind closed doors. Go to the kitchen or hide in the bathroom if you're going to have a complete meltdown. The next guest after us was a new mother and her baby in a stroller. He acted exactly the same to her and the mom and me had a quick conversation about it. I assume he overheard us because he immediately came over, quickly apologized and said he could seat us at the bar. We took the seats. Our bartender (I think his name was Steve) saved the day!! He was awesome. He was very knowledgeable about the dishes as well as local happenings and was the 1st to tell of the new Hardywood beer brewery coming to town. He recommended the pork chop dish to my husband and it did not disappoint. I ordered the Jumbo lump crab cake and it was just okay. I'm starting to think I either no longer like crab cakes or I'm just not trying the right ones. We also had an order of the mussels as an appetizer and these were insane good!! Get lots of bread to soak up the amazing juices. They offer a flight of wine for a reasonable price. All in all the food was okay. I knocked the star from a 4 to a 3 due to the so-so crab cake and the host's behavior. If I could I'd boost it to a 3.5 because the bartender was incredibly friendly & knowledgeable but not in an overbearing let me eat my food kinda way. I would go back for the mussels and maybe a meal if I was in the museum again but I wouldn't go out of my way to dine here. read more

Though the portions are a bit smaller than is standard around here, the food is high quality and prepared carefully. The service is usually excellent and the view delightful. I've had Thanksgiving lunch here a couple times and it's rather good. Champagne cocktails are on point and I love how they coordinate menu with exhibits. read more

Basically, every time I go to the VMFA now, I'm going to have to go grab kimchi tater tots and a drink. Only time we've ever ordered seconds of something at brunch. The rest of the food was also really good. There were fun, complicated, foodie things on the menu, but also stuffed french toast for the older, less adventurous member of the party. read more

Only had 2 cocktails and they were not strong at all, so I was disappointed. The view was nice though. It's a good place to sit and relax a bit after art overload. read more

We went for a casual Friday lunch and it was delightful. They have the most delicious salad I've every had. It's always impressive when a restaurant can elevate something as simple as a salad to a higher plane and amuse definitely has. It was perfectly dressed and every bite was a perfect ever changing combination of flavors. I had the burger for my entrée and it was perfectly pleasant but that salad alone has earned them their 5 stars. The champaign cocktails are also delightful, I had the American in Paris and my date had the rose 75. read more

I enjoyed a wonderful lunch at Amuse last Friday. The ingredients are fresh and local. The menu is also inventive and creative. I got the grilled trout with an arugula pesto and parm polenta. The fish was fresh and moist. The portions are just the right size not too much and not too little. The restaurant itself was gorgeous. The VMFA is one of my favorite places to go and this restaurant is an added bonus. read more

On my first trip to Richmond, I had recently a business lunch meeting at Amuse. I loved everything about this place: the location is very convenient and beautiful. The restaurant is bright and has great views. Food was very good. I appreciated the southern accent (read great shrimp and grits) in the selection. Wine selection is short but interesting. Most importantly, the staff was wonderful. Both the receptionist and the waitress have been welcoming, helpful and efficient. I will certainly go back. read more

Can't think of anything wrong with this restaurant. The food was excellent, decor elegant, and service outstanding.

Great view, nicely decorated (modern, white, spacious), nice staff, small menu but food was well presented with good quality ingredients and tasted good. However, oysters were over curried and salad over peppered. Bread is delicious. We would recommend Amuse as a nice spot for lunch if you're feeling spendy. read more

Great food! Classy place. Beautiful views. And in the middle of a museum no less. You'd expect the usual fast food style eateries, but this one is top notch (although they have one of the other kind too downstairs). read more

Fabulous service from Tyler, fresh local ingredients! I couldn't recommend Amuse more highly!

Great menu, great service although moves a little slower so dont expect a fast lunch. Portions are a little smaller so you can order apps, salad and entree. Very pretty view. I recommend the salad and fried oysters. read more

Wow, totally unexpected but totally worth it. Food was excellent and wine list was a great compliment. Our server great too!

Nice restaurant inside the museum. Try the fried curry oyster appetizer!

Had a delicious lunch prior to exhibit. I had the scallops served over succotash. The food was very tasty and fresh. I will definitely return if I go back to the museum. read more

superb and changing menu. Great location and view.

Superb menu of regional favorites and fine service. Lacking Virginia wines on the wine list however. Pot Roast recommended for a winter treat. read more

My husband and I went here for our anniversary. The food that we ordered was fantastic! For an appetizer, we had the fries because we were curious and they were fantastic. We ordered the steak and green tea chicken for entrees and we both really enjoyed them. For dessert, we had a cake that was okay. The dessert menu was in "transition", so the item we really wanted wasn't available. It is a beautiful view outside, but the chairs are rather uncomfortable. When enjoying a good meal, I like to sit back and relax a little. There is not sitting back in their chairs. I would probably dine here again because of the location in the museum, but I would try sitting inside and skipping dessert. read more

We had lunch at the Amuse restaurant. (3rd floor) Our window table offered a glorious unobstructed view of the landscape sprinkled with large Rodinesque sculptures. Below is a cement goldfish pond adorned with a Chihuly glass sculptured masterpiece. This photo does not do justice to the experience. Amuse's food, service, and peaceful ambiance is sublime! read more

Brunch today for my parents 40th anniversary. First the service was great, especially considering we had a large party (8). They called to confirm final head count the morning of and our meals were brought out quickly and at the same time (without over cooking). Being in a fine arts museum, could you think of a more beautiful place to eat? The brunch menu was fairly creative. Apparently they started a new menu. Some of the highlights. Korean Pork Belly with Sunny side up eggs, slaw and black beans. Nothing Korean about it, but anything with pork belly is alright by me. Crab cake, over cheese grits and kale. Being a Baltimorian, the crab cake was so so and the grits were just okay. The elvis french toast. I have a soft spot for peanut butter and bacon so this is a go. The corn beef has was delicious. By design it is a bit greasy for my taste (this is how corn beef hash should be prepared). Also tried the sausage dish, which was a bit rich for my taste as well. Finally they serve illy coffee which will always be a crowd pleaser. Good mimosas as well. My parents are members of the museum, so we got 10% off. $150 for 8 (including tip). Very reasonable. read more

We eat here several times a month. Wonderful preparations and wait service. Delightful atmosphere. Just about the best in Richmond.

Brunch was incredible. I had the fig and pepper biscuits and the vegetable garden. The service was great. I highly recommend it! The decor is modern but certainly not outdated. It is decorated with historically significant and timeless pieces. It's just a matter of taste. If you like big curtains and carpeting and dim lighting, you probably won't understand it. If you are looking for something refreshing and different, then this is the place to go. read more

My family raved about the whole dining experience, especially the mussels. The starter we ordered was the Fried House-Made Paneer, served with kumquat chutney. It was divine. I wasn't as thrilled with the Lamb Vindaloo with eggplant fries, from a special menu they have been running for "Maharaja: The Splendors of India's Great Kings" - May 21, 2012 - Aug 19, 2012. I just didn't like the taste very much, but they didn't do anything wrong. Next time I will also pass on the eggplant fries. However, I did get a taste of my mother's Free Range Chicken Korma, and it was absolutely delicious. The waiter was delightful. He seemed a little nervous, so I think he was new on the job, and a wonderful job he did indeed. I am always won over with good customer service, and he managed to impress me. The atmosphere was quiet and decorated with light and modern furnishings. The large floor to ceiling windows overlook the gorgeous lily pond, so it would be a great place to bring a date, and may even keep kids occupied. I recommend giving this place a try, they deserve it. read more