An affordable dive bar with some fun drink options in a convenient spot - what more can you ask for on a breakfast/daytime bar hop? They've got some fun specials everyday that would be interesting to check out. It was dead when we went - staff was still fairly attentive. read more

Buddy's Place - Dive Bars Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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This would be a Zero star. The bar service was fine, they did not do much. But after i left, they tried to change a $2.50 into a $7.50 tip. A few hours later i noticed it from bank notifications on my phone, and then i called them. At first they denied what they did, then admitted they were stealing and apologized. This place sucks, and they might even steal from you read more

You have to live a place that has a wonderful happy hour special and delicious food buddy's place did not disappoint. They have great menu options I went with a classic burger and fries. The burger was juicy and topped with whatever you like, my server was very helpful showing me local favorites and drink options. Very affordable I liked the booth seating with low flickering light, would make a great evening date spot. read more

Buddy's Place - Dive Bars Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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What a great place good vibes. Good food definitely need to come back to this place. Great wings great service. and let don't forget cold beer. read more

Never expected to have such great food and service!! Justin is an amazing server. People are friendly and there's always something entertaining going on! Highly recommend. read more

Didn't know anything about this place, decided to try and were not disappointed. Came for brunch, but looking forward to coming back for lunch or dinner. I had shrimp and grits, loved it! Generous portion, very flavorful sauce that came with it, and just enough so it wasn't soupy. I am by no means a shrimp and grits specialist, but I think this was some of the best I've had. And unbeatable price! Also tried the omelette with spinach, was very good, and the basic burger, so tasty! Tried a biscuit as a side as well, homemade and delicious, and tater tots, the best! A hidden gem in my book! read more

Buddys is the spot. Great food, beer prices, and people. 10/10 would recommend to anyone in Richmond!

Friday June 2, 2023 8pm ish I wanted a burger from somewhere new so as I was looking at restaurants near me Buddy's popped up with a picture of the steak and cheese. It looked delicious! as I further looked at the pictures, the burger look good as well . I decided on the "brunch burger" with tater tot's. This burger came with cheese, bacon and egg. Although I ordered it to go, even after the 10 minute ride home I must say it was really good. I'll definitely go back, there are a few other items I'd like to try including the steak and cheese. read more

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We were excited to try Buddy's Sunday Crab Pickin' special--$40 for all-you-can-eat crabs with sides sounded like a great deal. The service was excellent, and the atmosphere was fun. However, the quality of the crabs was deeply disappointing. A significant number were clearly dead before cooking--soft, mushy, or with an off, chemical taste. As seasoned crab eaters know, this isn't just unpleasant--it can be unsafe due to potential bacterial growth in dead crabs. We understand that a few bad crabs can slip into a batch, but when you're spending time sorting through mostly inedible ones during a timed event, it feels unfair to the customer. The manager's response to 'just eat the good ones' missed the point: this wasn't an issue of preference--it was food safety and value. Buddy's is a great spot overall, but we'd caution others about the crab pickin' special. At the very least, quality control on the crabs needs serious improvement. The only reason I gave two stars is because the beer was icy cold and refreshing . read more

We really enjoyed our dinner. There was a great neighborhood vibe in the place. The prices were outstanding, everything was $10-13 dollars. We had 3 draft beers, a gorgeous Greek salad , a Philly cheesesteak sandwich, and nachos all for $45! The quality was very good. Our server was excellent. I would say a hidden gem! read more

We came on (Thursday) trivia night and were told that all the empty tables were already reserved . We quickly found seats at the bar, so no worries. However, after ordering a beverage and two food items, I tried to order an iced tea and was lectured about ordering a drink for another person and told they were very busy. However, if I would be paying for the beverage, I resented the lecture and was offended and decided to leave before trivia began. read more

Went in for the blackened shrimp bowl. Sat at the bar for 10 minutes. None of the 3 bar staff acknowledged me, left.

Terrible and admonishable behavior from the staff. The bartender here has no sense of basic human decency. My friend was waiting for her Uber when the bartender decided she wasn't allowed to stand near the entrance. Instead of letting her wait safely, he kicked her out onto the street during a torrential downpour -- so unsafe for a woman alone at night. What kind of establishment is so heartless that they'd rather put someone in danger than let them stand in front of their door for a few minutes? This is beyond bad service; it's straight-up reckless. Save your money and go somewhere that actually cares about its customers' well-being. read more

This place was great! I thought it would be a dive bar with typical food. Mostly true -- but the food was so good! I was there on a Friday night, and it wasn't too crowded or loud. The staff was friendly and you can tell the customers were regulars. My burger was nice and juicy, and I loved the fries you don't see crinkle cut often! read more

Buddy's Place - Brunch burger - Dive Bars Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Wow! This is a dream dive bar. I came here after my friend's VMFA holiday work party. We stopped by for their 10:30pm Karaoke. Although I left well before the karaoke, I had a blast beforehand. My friend and I ordered the 10oz Miller Lite and fries. Buddy's is really charming and cozy. Our waitress was hilarious. She would sit with us at our booth while taking our order. I think since we were such a big group, things got a bit mixed up with orders, but our server was on top of it confirming what we had ordered. I hadn't heard of this spot before and can't wait to return. Their happy hour deals are amazing. I think I'm mostly excited to return for their $1.50 10oz Miller Lites LOL We sat at a very comfortable booth. I also loved how warm the lighting was. They have a clean all-gender single bathroom. There were tons of booths and a lot of seating at the bar. I'd highly recommend checking this spot out for a casual and affordable drink. read more

Great spot for a beer and a bite! The staff are all amazing and so friendly! Stop in for trivia night!

Mean bartender. He honestly ruined the start to my night completely. I Don't recommend.

Great service and decent food. Really just needs more time at this newer location to perfect the vibe.

Picture this It's Saturday morning, your eyeliner is smudged, you lost your keys and your dignity and you've just vomited in the trash can outside. But There is a shining neon light at the end of the hangover tunnel. And what does that sign read? Buddy's So let's break it down- Ambience- 10/10. It's dark enough that your head won't hurt more from the hangover but light enough to feel alive. The music is fantastic, all bops Food: aggressively average but it's hard to mess up eggs Drinks: strong read more

One of my favorite places in Richmond, I don't know where to start with how great it is. The overall atmosphere is excellent. There are always people there but not so many that you need to wait for a table or it takes forever to get a drink. They are always playing great music as well. The walls are coated by TVs. This makes it really easy to pretend to make eye contact with whoever you're with but actually looking past them to the TVs on the wall. The menu is everything you could ask for from a good American style bar. Wings, burgers, spinach and artichoke dip. The Wings are the biggest wings I have ever seen in my life. They have a great beer selection too that is both extensive and affordable. They constantly have activities ranging from trivia, to live music throughout the week, making it a fun place to visit. Their happy hour is great too. I would definitely recommend Buddy's read more

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This place is seriously not that bad as some of the reviews state. This is one of my favorite bars to go to after work and even bar diving. I haven't had any problems with this place, even before it moved onto Sheppard St. The atmosphere is very upgraded and I just love how roomy and lit up it is now. the staffs are super friendly and just great people. I love the whiskey selection that they have because I am a HUGE Irish whiskey fan. They always have my Jameson, Tullamore Dew, and Bushmill. Not complaining there!!! The food that I got was a rare burger and it was pretty damn good. The burger was cooked just right for rareness and the toppings were great. I will def go back again for it, and the tots were my favorite. Quite crispy and tasty! Overall, this place is pretty good and just a fun diving bar. It may also be because I'm older than 25 now and I like going to the bars right after work until 6-7pm and then it's my bedtime by 9. Haha. read more

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It's an okay place. Sometimes the service has been poor when I've been which makes me go from 3* to 2*, so it's just what you get nothing too special or creative going on‍ read more

Awesome! Great day-time prices and great service. Have the wings, but plan on taking a doggy bag home.

I've been an on-and-off regular at Buddy's since the High 1980's. I was skeptical about the move from Robinson St. I was crestfallen when Marse John Owen and his lovely-and-talented wife, Miss Kelly, sold it. But...I stuck with it. I gotta say it's holding up perdy well in its new location. The barkeeps and the servers are top-notch and very cool. Miss Heather does a great job running the place, I must say. The food is above-average for a neighborhood bar. The stuffed jalapenos will make your heart sing sometimes. Now for the hard part. Buddy's runs many weekly events like "Trivia Night" and Karaoke. Trivia Night is not for the faint of heart; the questions are pretty damn tough. But Karaoke....it's kinda operator-dependent. There's one operator, whose initials are PATRICK who is absolutely insufferable. Why oh why they keep using him I do not know....does he have compromising pics of somebody??? On a good night, he's a prickly, pusillanimous pud. On a bad night, I wouldn't be surprised if he had a body count. Call ahead....if he's on, I highly recommend watching Netflix instead. No need to borrow trouble. read more

This is where you go for a decent burger in town. Plus Wednesday's are half price on their Basic Burger. Today I enjoyed a perfectly cooked medium burger with pepper jack cheese on it. It was juicy and delicious! It came with a side of crispy tots. I was a happy camper. The atmosphere is quiet. The service is good and personable. I'll probably see you there next Wednesday. Check them out! Oh, their chili is pretty good as well. read more

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Used to be my regular spot but yesterday not only did my waitress mock my drink order, she then made it so maliciously awful. Ask for a different garnish, get a drink where all you can taste is the garnish because she put 4 in and the juice. Order dinner after the crowd dies down and it takes forever and then another 20 minutes on top of that for the condiment that was ordered. Even worse last night there was a loud drunk group who i guess decided to start throwing things. They were in the front by the window and i was in the back booth and yet i was hit in the shoulder. I told the waitress and shes like i cant control them. So many bars would have cut them off and tossed them. Not at buddys. Icing on the cake was when the waitress decided to joke around with my date as the weather or not I was holding them against their will real funny for first 15 seconds but kept the poor taste joke running. So this is no longer my regular spot and will never be again...been going here since 2015. Ill spend 50$+ per happyhour at another establishment that respects their customers read more

My new go to in the museum district. Great NFL specials, good menu and great food. I highly recommend. read more

We found ourselves on Sheppard st. (After Easter on Parade) And walked into Buddy's on Sunday afternoon they were still serving brunch items, including a "make your own bloody mary" bar, which was pretty awesome. The food was really good. Fresh ingredients, had a good cook on it. Better than the food was the "chill vibe" of the service. We were well attended, we felt welcome, and left feeling good. read more

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My colleague and I decided to go to a random pub. And we found this little Gem on Google Maps gave it a shot. A clean, pleasant traditional spot with an excellent menu ranging from delicious and healthy. The beer was drinks were good too. It is on my list of places to revisit! read more

I was having a bad night and just wanted to get out of my house sit somewhere, have a beer, eat something w/o meat, and paint. I don't know why I thought a random bar would be that place but I was super pleasantly surprised. I was purely at peace. I had many meat free options and went with a rice bowl that was SO GOOD. Beer prices were good and fair. The early 00s jams were playing and the atmosphere wasn't too crazy for a Saturday night. I wish I got the servers name-she was super attentive and greeted me almost instantly AND didn't look at me crazy when I asked for a water cup for my paint read more

Buddy's Place - Rice Bowl - Dive Bars Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Wow. Haven't been here for a while, but will be back soon! Went last nite for all-you-can-eat blue crabs. First, it actually is all you can eat. Next, they have cold Miller High Life in bottles, then the service is perfect - just the right degree of attention. All that followed by nice, heavy, perfectly steamed fresh blue crabs. Plenty of paper towels and plates. A great system for dealing with shells and other waste. Homemade hush puppies corn on the cob and water melon What COULD go wrong? Nothing. read more

Went to Buddy's for their "4th Sunday of the month", All You Can Eat Crab Feast . We were NOT disappointed! The Crabs were medium to large in size & all were very nice & full! The Hush Puppies were good & the Corn was fresh & sweet. They also had Cole Slaw that was OK, Watermelon & Cookies. The next one is Sunday, August 26th & we have already made our reservations! read more

Buddy's Place is the PERFECT neighborhood tavern. Every server is so nice and genuine, additionally they have killer specials almost every night of the week. The grilled shrimp is amazing! read more

I've been to Buddy's a few times over the years, especially when they were at their old location. I'll have to start by saying that this place even after moving has maintained that old original charm in a new space, somehow. The beer is poured deep, the music is just right, there's a decent selection of television hanging around, and even on half off burger night everything came out fast and the service was attentive. I'd definitely suggest Buddy's as a place to meet the boys for a burger, or two. read more

The food is always high quality. The servers are friendly and attentive. I have had higher quality food here than more expensive places. I honestly can't think of a reason not to eat here except I would be happy if the menu was more extensive but that is forgivable in these times and totally understand. read more

Sat here for 30 minutes without any service while the manager sat and chatted with her friends. Trash

Reading some of the other experiences people have had as far as service goes, I won't even get into that. I can't speak on how horrible the food is because I didn't get a chance to be served to eat some of it (even after getting up, walking over and asking if my table to finally order something to eat). I'm glad that I didn't. As far as just going there to drink though, we were "lucky" enough to order a pitcher of mimosa but after pouring some of it we noticed that there was a slimy white gel on the inside of the pitcher. Of course we didn't get to point it out/replace it because no one ever came back. It didn't smell like soap either (picture is posted). I miss when this place was Café Diem. It's a shame because I live close by but I will never step foot in there again. For brunch I would just go over to Banditos, their specials are cheaper ($3.50 mimosa vs. $4), they serve brunch longer (2:30 vs. 2:00), and they actually wash their dishes and serve you. read more

Buddy's Place - This is a pitcher of mimosa with a white slimy gel on the inside that was NOT soap - Dive Bars Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Would've given it higher but the food a little above average. Having said that, the staff is extremely nice and attentive, the drinks are reasonable, the whole place is spotless including the bathroom and the crowd is mixed. Also plenty seating and you can usually find a spot to park if not out front, then within walking distance. I like the Blood alcohol level machine they have so you know if you can drive or not. read more

Buddy's did a great job today! This is the third time I have been here in a year, and the first since I've been on Yelp. For starters I ordered the homemade pimento cheese and crackers. I have ordered this appetizer every time I have been here, the pimento cheese is outstanding, and the fact I love Ritz crackers it's a slamdunk for an app. For lunch I ordered their bacon cheeseburger, yes I know that's not very original, but a burger I was craving. They did a good job and cooked it exactly how I had asked-medium, not well cooked shoe leather. Its funny about this place since they have moved from Robinson years ago. The restaurant has grown up, as well as myself. Many many years ago when I was much younger I used to hang out here with a friend and drink way too much. One time in fact I was drinking in Buddy's with a friend and we booked a flight to Key West while drinking in the bar. Two weeks later we were on the island-still drinking... Buddy's food and the establishment itself have grown up much since the days on Robinson. It's a much nicer establishment now, and they are serving much better food than the traditional bar food of their past. I am glad they have grown up...and myself as well. *****3/15/17 update***** Still awesome, the bartender "Cat"(probably spelled wrong) was great. Excellent service today! read more

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I would say this is a 5-star dive (although not too divey). The bartenders are friendly and so are most of the customers. They have great happy hour food specials. We had grilled shrimp, wings, stuffed jalapeños, and bacon strips. Everything was really good, especially for bar food. The service was good and they really seemed to have good chemistry and teamwork among the staff. Overall, this is a great place to stop for a few drinks after work or a conference. read more