I really liked Bar Buoy on multiple occasions now. It seems people have mixed things to say - it's possible there were some hiccups or things to be ironed out when the first opened, because recently it has been great. The staff is personable and very attentive. Great happy hour for both drinks and food. It's a unique energy and vibe that is a nice change of pace from all the hipster hole in the wall establishments. read more

Extremely slow... unacceptably slow... when the food finally arrived it was decent, but not worth the wait. My wife and I came here on a Friday night with a reservation, got seated right away and ordered shortly after. Our drinks came, and then we waited, and waited, and waited for the appetizer. When it finally arrived after about half an hour, the waitress apologized and said they had a big group that had caused the delay so she was comping us the appetizer. I appreciated that, and expected things to go more smoothly after that... But then we waited, and waited, and waited some more. The waitress kept walking past us without even looking in our direction, and when we finally got her attention to ask if our food was coming, she said it would be out in two or three minutes. By the time it finally arrived, about ten minutes later, we'd been sitting at our table for more than 90 minutes. The manager brought it to our table and explained that they had a group of 30 people in a separate room, and there had been some last minute changes to that group's menu that had caused delays. Ok, I understand how that could happen, but the dining room and patio weren't even full, so it's not like the whole restaurant was slammed, and if you know that a group of 30 is coming on a Friday night, you staff accordingly, right? And if the manager brings the food out and offers an apology, you might expect him to also offer a round of drinks or something, right? Nope. We got the one comped app, but other than that, just a halfhearted apology for the fact that we waited an hour and a half for our meal. As for the quality of the food, the oyster po-boy was pretty good, but on the small side, and the sides were decent but nothing to write home about. If it were the best seafood in Richmond, maybe I'd go back, but I've had better elsewhere without the wait, so I don't plan to go back anytime soon. read more

We wanted to try this spot in Scott's Addition for a low key happy hour and check out what had replaced Brenner Pass. It had some good offerings like the $1 oysters on the half shells YESSSS PLEASE which were fresh and perfectly chilled and served with a bright citrusy mignonette! We really enjoyed them and since we were in an oyster mood we also opted for the fried oysters and unfortunately regretted it. You'll see from the photo they're buried under lots of wet ingredients... insert FUUUUUUUU meme sound here. This totally ruined them IMO, first because who wants to eat crispy fried oysters that are now soggy? Put them on top of a slaw, YES Bravo!! or put a little drizzle of sauce YES but for the love of the bivalve DON'T smother them, it was just a weird, wet mess, and served in a bowl??? Chef Please rethink this presentation and flavor combo it just doesn't work. To be fair it might work if the oysters were plated and all the wet stuff was a safe distance away... just sayin. In the meantime, we heard neighboring diners raving about the "game changing" shrimp toast so we will give the place another shot in the future. We also heard fellow bar flies lamenting the loss of some hush puppy option with a warm dip we would have loved to try.. but it's no longer on the menu. Oh to have an establishment that gives people what they want... it may be too much to ask, but it would be nice if they tried! read more

Bar Buoy - Happy hour menu and fried oysters - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Ok, Bar Buoy! Boyfriend and I came in for happy hour. Brenner Pass was a regular favorite of ours and we were excited to try out this seafood focused remix! It was a 10/10 experience from food to vibes to service. As oyster connoisseurs, we definitely weren't going to say no to a dozen with the $1/each happy hour deal. They were fantastic! A delicious saltiness and the mignonette was top tier. We paired those with the ahi tuna nachos as well as the shrimp toast. They were both also exceptional and decently portioned. It was a perfect amount of food for the two of us. I tried the HH special orange crush which was fruity and definitely crushable. Those apps plus my drink and we closed out right around $65, with tip. We were not at all mad at the price & given the quality of the experience, it felt like a good deal! Our server and everyone in the area was very friendly and attentive. A winner for date night! read more

Bar Buoy - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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We went to Bar Buoy back in September when it first opened and -seriously- every single bite was fantastic. You can tell when a kitchen just knows what it is doing and this place came out of the gate swinging. We started with the ham biscuits, the hush guppies, and the shrimp toast. The shrimp toast was out of this world, truly the star of the starters, crispy, savory, everything you want with and so unique. I now think of it often The hush guppies were so yum and the ham biscuits were salty and sweet and we loved the biscuit part! We also shared an order of fries that were just plain addictive. For entrées, I had the beer battered cod with two sides, the loaded deviled egg potato salad and the cucumber salad. I am telling you - if you loved deviled eggs as much as I do- get that potato salad. It is rich and creamy and a little nostalgic in the best way. The cod was perfectly fried, light, crisp, just right. The cucumber salad was cool and bright and exactly what you want with fried fish. My husband ordered the Salisbury steak with onion rings and it was one of the best plates of comfort food Ive tasted in a long time. My step son had the half chicken which was juicy and full of flavor. Every entrée at the table was excellent but the true standouts for us were the shrimp toast, the Salisbury steak, and that loaded deviled egg potato salad. Bar Buoy is adorable decor. Different than Brenner and it has a nostalgic atmosphere, thoughtful food, and dishes that really surprise you in the best way. We will absolutely be back. Oh and the staff and service - 10 out of 10!! read more

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It's still early days for Bar Buoy, but I'm impressed so far. The transformation from the refined and classy Brenner Pass to a chill seafood spot is pretty remarkable. The decor is fun and Instagram-friendly. The patio is lovely on a mild evening. Service was prompt and pleasant from the get-go. We didn't have a reservation the night of their first Sunday service (yesterday) but that was no problem. I ordered the Big Fish sandwich and subbed in grouper instead of the cod. I'm glad I did, as it was really tasty. The fries were good too! For my drink, I ordered the telltale spritz, which was light and refreshing, while also potent. I want to try the draft crush on my next visit - that sounded lovely too. Prices were a touch high but unsurprising given the quality. I'll definitely return to try more of their menu. read more

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I returned to Bar Buoy after a month and felt compelled to update my review. My experience this time was sadly awful. I went for happy hour with a friend and the gentlemen that sat us was very friendly and kind. I ordered a mocktail and then decided I would try a cocktail instead. The bartender asked to see my ID, which I happily provided, but she was very rude about it and quite literally threw my ID back at me and did not apologize. We felt extremely unwelcome the entire evening. I ordered the crab Louie wedge salad as my main and it was tiny - 50% smaller than the last time I ordered it. I don't mind paying $20 for a salad but the portion size and price do not align at all. Not a great experience and sadly I will not be returning. read more

Bar Buoy - Crab Louie salad in March - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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I am so very sad Brenner Pass is gone, and I honestly hate writing this. It used to be one of the top three restaurants in RVA, but what has replaced it feels like a completely different (and much weaker) version. I'm also bummed I never wrote about Brenner Pass when I had the chance--I have plenty of photos, and even tonight both a waiter and waitress recognized us from how often we went. The space has the same building and a more low-key vibe, which is fine. Prices are similar to Brenner Pass but way too expensive for what you actually get. Unfortunately, the seafood pales compared to most seafood spots in the city, and overall the experience was really disappointing--especially since my husband and I were lucky enough to have a rare date night with both kids at a sleepover. Drinks were just okay. I had the Abuelita's Night Cap and the King William Negroni (and we usually *loved* the cocktails at Brenner Pass). My husband switched to an Elmer T. Lee neat, which was solid. Food-wise, things went downhill. We started with the Shrimp Toast--not what we expected. It was over-fried, with odd textures. The shrimp filling itself was tasty, but it would've been better as a fritter. My husband was immediately discouraged looking at the menu; nothing stood out. Sadly, it really felt like the menu was struggling. I ordered the crab cakes--supposedly "world famous"--but they were far from it. For $34, I expected lump crab cakes, not the stringy hot mess that arrived. It came with a "biscuit," which was actually a mini biscuit about four times the size of an oyster cracker. Tasty, sure, but misleading. The potato salad on the side was good, but very mayo-heavy (which I like, but not for everyone). I didn't even finish my crab cakes. My husband ended up with mussels (12 for $18--apparently the last order of the night). The broth was bland, almost like bath water. He also had the crab bisque, which was flavorful but the smallest portion I've ever seen for $14. Between the tiny soup and mussels, he left hungry. Overall, this was just sad. Brenner Pass was one of our absolute favorites, and this was a 360 in the worst way. If you go expecting an equivalent seafood-focused version of Brenner Pass, it's not even close. Honestly, I'd love to know what the staff thinks of this menu, because for loyal fans like us, the loss is huge. I think what they need to consider is take all the awesome pasta and seafood from Brenner Pass and revamp this menu, as that was what we were thinking would happen... very disappointed. We also love Metzger Bar and Butchery though. read more

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I'm a big fan of Britney especially Metzger and we were really looking forward to trying the new restaurant. I have to say I was a little underwhelmed. Nothing was bad but nothing blew my mind away. I think they're still trying to work on the menu. I gave them a B and my partner gave them a B+. read more

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Been a couple of times now to enjoy some apps and cocktails. So far have enjoyed the ham biscuits, half a dozen raw oysters and the hush guppies. Fave cocktail was the mignonette martini, Yumm. The bar service is attentive and the vibe is relaxed. Will absolutely be back to try other menu items! read more

Bar Buoy - Ruby salts with a mignonette martini - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Barber is the perfect new restaurant for Richmond! The food is delicious. The interior is so cute and the drinks are delicious. I got their spin on a dirty martini, which was delicious, we got succotash dip as a starter, and it was delicious. I had the oyster Poboy, which was the best in Richmond! The service was friendly, I will definitely be going back. read more

Bar Buoy - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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My husband took me to Bar Buoy this past Friday for my birthday and we had a lovely time! All of the food was excellent, my favorite being the ahi tuna nachos and crab bisque. The one thing I forgot to take a picture of is their mignonette martini, which is hands down one of the best dirty martinis in the city. Absolutely amazing I also loved the mussels, could've used a little more seasoning for my taste. Also loved the shrimp toast, however, I do wish the shrimp toast had come with a sauce or something to go with it, as it was heavy and very rich. Really only reasons why I'm taking off a star but other than that, wonderful experience and we're looking forward to going again soon :) read more

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Can't recommend enough!! I love the ambiance and wide-open feel. The whole section with the seafood wall is so cool. All the food we tried was excellent, but by far and wide the SHRIMP TOAST is out of this world good and the best thing on the menu! read more

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Overall, the experience was just okay. Nothing stellar, but nothing bad. Entree portions and cocktails are small compared to restaurants with similar offerings and price point. Ambiance was kind of awkward as I was sat close to the bar during happy hour so people were hovering/standing close to our table since bar seats were full as happy hour is only at the bar which is a disappointment. Deviled egg potato salad and collard greens needed a lot more flavor, they fell very bland. I will give the seasoned saltines some love, those were wonderful. But we only received about 7 with the crab dip so had to ask for more. read more

Bar Buoy - Fried oyster appetizer. Tasted pretty good! - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Drinks were on point (kinsale 75, espresso martiki, and eternal sunshine) and the fried oysters with slaw were amazing. After that our food started to disappoint. Long wait for the rest of our food on a slower night (1/2 tables were full). Oysters with crumbs were extremely dry (too many breadcrumbs on top), lobster mac and cheese (special) had huge chunks of lobster which were as great but the mac n cheese was watery and just seemed like buttery noodles. The tuna skewers had some great pieces but most were overcooked. We did enjoy the chocolate chess pie at the end of the night. Overall we were disappoint but I'd go back for a happy hour just for the drinks and maybe try 1 or 2 things since the price did not seem worth it. read more

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Not sure how to start this off, but our experience was mixed emotions. First, we love seafood, and especially the idea of the northern neck being highlighted! We made a reservation for 7:30 on Sunday; as it was our anniversary, and we have toddlers that needed to get ready for bed. We wanted something low key and delicious for our rare night out. We arrived at 7:20ish and waited for a few minutes before someone greeted us, then additional couple of minutes for someone to seat us. We were finally seated, and were greeted very warmly and she did wish a happy anniversary, by I assumed our main waitress. We had two waitresses that served us through our time, and both were very friendly. She informed us that they were out of a few items, but never mentioned anything about closing 8pm. By the time we put our oyster and appetizer order in it was already around 7:40. So it definitely was around 8 by the time we put our entree order in. We got our entrees which was a Po Boy and Grilled Grouper Sandwich, and they looked yummy. My husband said his po boy was good, but felt it was missing something. My grilled grouper though tasted burnt, and was very dry. I couldn't finish it. We finished our entrees, and were asked if we wanted to see what dessert options there were. We decided that we would get another 6 oysters and the ambrosia. We never felt rushed until we told our waitress that, she then informed us that the kitchen had already started closing down for the savory side of the things. She came back and said that they could the 6 oysters, which was great! But then it was as if there a rush to eat our oysters and ambrosia. We apologized that we did not know about them closing at 8 pm on Sundays. Someone else came to our table and started taking things off our table including our water glasses even though we still had some dessert left. That was sort of the worst part of the night, and made us feel like we had overstayed. Overall it was ok, I am not sure it really was worth the amount we spent. Considering we rarely get date nights, for the amount that dinner(no alcoholic beverages either) cost I wanted better food. The oysters were great, but you can't go wrong with topless oysters. I am sure there are kinks to work out since they recently opened, but I can say we will likely not be back unless we can manage getting over to happy hour for the oysters. read more

The restaurant is very nice inside. We sat at the bar but I couldn't stay long. I will definitely be back to try some of the menu items!!!

our crew LOVED the thoughtful staff, the shrimp toast (magical!), the alabama crab salad (bright and pickle-y), the cod platter, steamed shrimp (tasty peppers and onions), creative drinks, and believe it or not, ambrosia! it's not your 6th grade home ec class ambrosia, but a fascinating textural cloud of yums. the new space is a lively vibe! read more

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We were Brenner Pass fans and Bar Buoy didn't disappoint. The vibe was cool, kitschy and fun, drinks good, we thought the apps were the star of the show (we has ham biscuits and peel & eat shrimp SO GOOD) and my husband smashed up his salisbury steak. While I didn't love my fish sandwich, I think it's more of a me thing. Dessert was perfect and we really appreciated the wait staff let us enjoy the experience without being rushed. Exceeded our expectations and we'll definitely be back read more

I was a loyal fan or Brenner pass and was sad to see them go, but I was excited for the new direction! I grew up in eastern Va and was excited to see Britany's take on seafood from this region. I was eager to go for my birthday but they were closed on that day, so I made a reservation for as close as I could get. This place is certainly much more casual than Brenner was. When I arrived I was greeted by the warm and friendly staff as always. The decor had been updated to a sort of southern, coastal, vintage vibe which I appreciated and felt somewhat nostalgic to me. I saw a lot of menu items I recognized and some that were new to me! I started with the ham biscuits and shrimp toast. The biscuits themselves were excellent and the ham was great too, constitutionally they were a great appetizer. whatever the hot butter was that was on them was a little *too* hot for my taste, but I enjoyed them nonetheless, so if you're sensitive to spicy things I would ask for the hot butter in the side. The shrimp toast was without a doubt my favorite thing I tried. The peanut crust added a delicious crunch and I really enjoyed the filling of the toast itself. I ordered the beer battered cod for my entree. I was impressed with the texture and ratio of the breading on the fish, but I will say I was slightly disappointed in the flavor. The breading itself lacked seasoning, and i wish there had been even some salt on it. I enjoyed the little salad and cucumber salad I got with it, both were great additions and I always recommend eating the "greens" that come on the plate. I finished with the smith island cake which was something I had never heard of! It is the cake of Maryland, apparently, and is essentially a chocolate layer cake. The layers were very thin. I liked the chocolate sauce on it. Overall I was pleased with my dinner here and am expecting them to get even better within the next few months as they find their groove. I can't wait to come back and try some new things. read more

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It was fantastic--aside from a small gripe about the overly seasoned crackers with the crab dip. Other than that, the tuna nachos were absolutely amazing, and the all-day happy hour is unbeatable! read more

Everything was top notch from the cocktails and food to the service. Went on a Saturday night and it was quite busy and a bit loud. Will definitely be back. Had a great experience read more

we had a great dinner at Bar Buoy! Service was great, we felt like we were given time and not rushed out. The drinks were flavorful. Crab dip appetizer and birthday oysters both tasted great. Crab cake sandwich had great flavor and actual crab meat. The atmosphere of the place was very pleasant. read more