This place is great! I came here for lunch the other day and they have some really great lunch specials. The service was fast, the food was good, and they had a nice closed in patio that we were able to sit in which was cooled. I can see this place having a lot of problems when it gets busy though and I don't recommend it for groups. read more

Look up the word "dive bar" in the dictionary - it will probably point you to Dot's Back Inn. Don't get me wrong - in no way is that a bad thing! Dot's is an old northside Richmond neighborhood establishment. The food's pretty good, the beer pretty cold, and the locals pretty happy. Try the carbcake sandwich - it's excellent. The burger's aren't bad either. The wait staff can be very casual to say the least - but the food comes out pretty quick. It's just a very laid bad place... Nothing upsacle here - just good bar and diner food. read more

Evidence of a great meal is when you're driving home from Richmond 3 hours after eating and the BF proclaims out of nowhere "that sandwich this morning was delicious". Well, yes....yes it was. I got the burger with American cheese, bacon, and a fried egg. YUM!!!!! It came with a side - I chose the slaw. The burger was cooked perfectly medium per my request and the slaw was delicious. Usually the slaw is hit or miss but it was real good. The BF got a pastrami sandwich with a side of potato salad. You all already know he enjoyed his meal and especially enjoyed the potato salad. It had a hint of old bay in it and he's an old bay fiend. He puts it on everything. So the hype is legit. The patio was full at noon when we walked in because it was a gorgeous sunny day, but there were a few empty tables inside. So no issues sitting down. Service was quick and friendly also. Great place. read more

Always one of my favorites for many years, despite rude management. Food is good, prices are fair, management clueless. Tonight, two of us waited for 15 minutes for a table while they refused to let us sit at an open four-top table. Normally they are not that clueless and welcome couples, but occasionally they forget about the customer. We left and enjoyed a great meal at The Mill restaurant right across the street, they seemed excited to please customers. read more

Dots Back Inn - Busy Dot's Back Inn minutes after turning away customers because only two were in their party. - Diners Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I visited this restaurant with a friend of mine hoping to enjoy a nice lunch & was greeted 20 minutes after we arrived. When we placed our order the server was extremely judgmental towards our choice of food. She specifically said "complicated girls" which is extremely unprofessional and rude. She took just as long getting our drinks and so we left. I called the store and asked if there was a manager available and the person said there wasn't that she was the only person there right now and I could tell her what was wrong. I could tell it was the same woman and so I asked if there was a time a manager would be there and she said that the manager would be out for a couple days. It's illegal to have no manager on duty. And so i ended the call and a few minutes later I received a phone call from someone working there and was told that I could tell them what the issue was. They also sounded very annoyed. I am extremely unhappy with every person working here and won't be coming back. read more

We have wanted to try this place for awhile- and unfortunately after our first trip we will not be returning. We got there Saturday around 245ish. We were given brunch menus. The server comes around and says if you want brunch you need to order before 3. She then proceeds to tell us the other menu (dinner) "didn't have much different stuff" on it. We asked for the dinner menu, because frankly I didn't want anything off of the brunch menu. She sulked off and again said well its not much different (the menu). 3 of 4 of us found something on the dinner menu. The food was unseasoned and the fries were cold. It should have been a red flag when before we were even seated the lady cleaning off our table was scowling and when we said thank you she mumbled something inaudible and walked off. Anyway- the main issue I have with this place was the service or lack thereof. The server was rude and acted like she didn't want to be there- which I get its a job but at least make the best of it. She didn't refill our drinks. Not once. Its unfortunate because I had heard good things about this place. read more

We choose this spot as a pit stop for lunch because it was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. The stewed okra tastes nothing like any I've ever had and was inedible to me. We also ordered BBQ, chicken burritos, a blackened fish gyro, and a chicken pasta dish (can't remember the name). Everything we had was ok. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't worth the price. Service was fast and friendly. The diner has a cute old school atmosphere. If you want a beer, they have a huge selection. The 'famous' blueberry dessert thing wasn't available for lunch, our visit time, only for dinner. That was a big disappointment. I'd say skip this one and hit a drive through instead. read more

I went here for the first time ever about a month ago, and I absolutely loved it. I love how historical looking it is for a place that's been there forever, and I had to go when I found out that guy from diners, drive ins, and dives had visited there! I got the club sandwich with home fries, and it was very delicious! I will definitely be going back to try some of their other yummy dishes! read more

Let me explain the rating. After our annual trip to Richmond Christmas Craft Show, we stop here to eat. If you are looking for a fine dining place ..this ain't it ... This place makes you feel like you live around the corner. This is "CHEERS" in today's world. Food is good and you leave feeling..good ! A feel good place ! read more

When we walked into the restaurant, no one acknowledged our presence. I had to say excuse me, then the waitress looked at us and immediately said "you can sit out on the patio". Was that because we are black? I said no, we will sit inside, thank you. My friend wanted pancakes and the server told us we missed it by 10 minutes. We asked can you just go ahead and serve her pancakes since on your website it didn't say breakfast was up at a certain time. The lady said no. Needless to say we didn't feel welcome there, so we left. We didn't want her to be tempted to put an extra seasonings into our food. They seemed glad we left anyway. read more

Go here! Beware, you may need to wait a while for a table during peak hours. So go early and often. Being my first time, I can't make generalizations, but this place was amazing. It had the feel of a old timey diner and their menu was extremely eclectic (from seafood to tons of burger options to veggie fare). Their falafal gyro was amazing..a true feat since most places make it either too dry or burned or bready. My folks ordered the oysters as an app and they couldn't stop raving about them. I might ding them 0.5 stars for their lack of draft beer selection since Legend Lager & Pale Ale were the only local options and the usual Blue Moon & Miller Lite, but that is my own personal bias. Service was great and I can't wait to go back (I didn't' even have room to sample their dessert menu). read more

Perhaps we went to this place at the wrong time? I ordered the rueben...it was flat out terrible. Burnt on the outside and cold on the inside. I could barely see/taste the Swiss cheese and it was heavy on some kind of marinated olive stuff...that's all I could taste. The 'fries' were big cuts of fried potato, more of a chip type instead of the slender cut. I also ordered a kids pancake platter and was surprised that is was only 3 silver dollar sized pancakes. I felt for $3.50, the portion should have been a bit larger. My friend ordered an omelet with tons of veggies...she seemed to enjoy it. I think I just ordered the wrong thing. Service was good and the staff/other patrons were really friendly. read more

My favorite neighborhood spot! Best staff and family owned. Awesome selection and daily specials read more

My husband and I eat here all the time (4-5 per month) and usually it's pretty good. We visited last night with our kids (they are all 18 & up) and were asked to wait until the entire party (all 6 of us) was there to seat us. That would have been fine except we watched a couple save the table of 8 for 2 of their friends. So while they sat inside (it was actually HOT yesterday) waiting at their huge table, we baked outside. It was exceptionally irritating because our party was larger than theirs but we learned they were friends with the staff so I guess that's the difference. I think we'll take a break from Dot's for a while. read more

Space is great. Burgers and sandwiches are fantastic. Steak special is always on point. For something a little different but also tasty, try the black bean cakes. Friendly staff great atmosphere. What's not to love? read more

The appetizers were great. Try the Bruschetta sampler. Very fresh. The server was weird,very weird. He kept coming to us and checking on us every 30 seconds( we actually checked the time). We couldnt even hold a conversation.Probably good for one time. three stars for food.none for service!! read more

My coworker took me to Dots for lunch recently while I was in town on business. I like the fact that it has the dive bar vibe going on. It definitely is about as far away from the stale chain restaurant vibe as you can get. Big plus in my mind. I should disclose that I was not looking for a heavy meal so maybe I didn't get the best Dots has to offer. I was specifically told the burgers were fantastic as was the chicken MacArthur (sp?). Instead I order a cup of chili that was OK. I would say average restaurant chili without much bite or character. Chips were plentiful but a tad stale. I also order the Greek Salad. I was not disappointed nor was a I particularly impressed. Hence my 3 star middle of the road rating. I could tell by looking at some of the other meals being served that this place has more to offer, so I am looking forward to giving it another shot next time I am town. read more

I heard about this place from a friend, and thought I'd check it out. The service was sub par, but it was fast. If you're looking for personable people, this isn't the place for you. That being said, my review isn't about the service because I expected it. It's about the food. I ordered the rasta burger, fries, and collards (because I love collards lol). The fries were the best thing I ate! Delicious and hand cut! Can't go wrong with that. Collards were pretty good too- needs a little more layering of flavor. I gave this place 3 stars because of the burger. I ordered it well done- it came to me medium. I sent it back, and the next burger I got was well-done BUT there was a huge cut into my burger. Simply stated, if you're a burger joint you should know how to cook one without a mistake. Furthermore, I tasted no Jamaican spices at all. I got a glorified cheeseburger. I was very disappointed about that. The people I was with ordered food off the specialty menu and were very happy so I'd say go with that! I would return here, but not for a burger. read more

Recommended as a go-to spot for lunch. Service was great. Food - not so great. Coworker and I both returned "well done" burgers that were way too pink. Fries are sliced red potatoes? Not exactly sure but nothing I'd go out of my way to eat again. No problem with separate checks. We found easy street parking but it was a Tuesday afternoon. read more

My better half treated me to the most satisfying meal at this most unexpected gem last night

Dot's is a wonderful place to come, either by yourself, with friends or on a date. It is cozy and the atmosphere is anything you want it to be. The food is always delicious, and the drinks are flowing. I used to work not far from here, but never came until our softball team got together here for drinks. They were regulars but it was my first time. I was able to get a night of drinks, and some food for under $20. I was surprised to get my bill and had expectations of it being around $30. This let me to leaving a bigger tip because our server was on top if it and had refills for us and everything perfect. I recommend the deep fried cheesecake with ice cream. It was so good, the only problem was, not for me ;), was that I took the last one and my buddies were out of luck! If you are looking for somewhere to stop that is down home, relaxing and enjoyable then come to Dot's and check out what they are serving. You will come Back Inn, over and over again. read more

Great food. Old school diner feel. read more

Dots Back Inn - Richmond platter!!! - Diners Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

came here for sunday brunch, was very busy but was seating promptly. menu is eclectic and offers more than enough options. had the chorizo omelet as well as the chunky monkey pancakes. chorizo omelet was very unique and tasty, couldn't quite place it but it had a very distinct flavor. pancakes were delicious as well, wasn't reliant on the chocolate, whip cream or banana for it's flavor if you're in the mood for brunch and have a few minutes to wait for a table, you wont be disappointed by Dots Back Inn read more

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Dot's is hidden in an industrial spit of a street in a lovely high end residential neighborhood. Thank you Guy Fieri for recommending it! I had one of my favorite meals ever there...Fried Oysters Benedict... out of this world!!! To be honest there were so many wonderful selections, it was difficult to decide... but I hit a winner! My partner had the banana chocolate pancakes which were also out of this world, and that made her a huge fan of Dot's as well! It is definitely worth a trip from anywhere to indulge in their amazing cuisine. Even the coffee was out of this world!! read more

WAS VERY BUSY!! WAIT STAFF FANTASTIC!! I ordered the omelet was awesome! On bad note home fries were ice cold no sweet tea , but I will be back to give it a 2nd try read more

I had a steak and cheese sub with chips. My sub was pretty good and the price was reasonable.

OK, I've been eating at Dots for years. I can't believe anyone could rate this place anything less than 4 stars. (Even the best of places can have an off night) I have never had a bad meal here..... EVER. Most of the reviews have raved about their burgers, and honestly I couldn't give you an opinion on that because I have never had one. I always order off the chalkboard because the specials are Awesome. I can only remember ordering off the menu once. Their fried oysters can't be beat. Nice crispy outside and moist hot, but not overcooked inside. The best I have ever had. Once we came in for Sunday brunch and i had a Fried Oyster omelet. I died and went to heaven. It was the only time i ever saw it on the board, but they have made it for me occasionally, off-menu. Washed down with an outstanding Bloody Mary. Nothing could ever top that! 5 star dining at diner prices. The specials are averaged priced and the flavor is anything but. Absolutely my favorite place to eat. read more

If you enjoy non chain neighborhood dining, you will appreciate Dot's service and menu is pretty eclectic. We went for a late night dinner at 10:30 and were made welcome. Also went for breakfast the next day and sat right down at a booth. Pancakes, Pies were excellent. Burger was above average. Med-Pie app was decent. Next time I go I will try some of their specials. read more

Local hangout that has improved it's food. Famous in Richmond and worth a visit. read more

Dots Back Inn - Great wait staff! - Diners Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Every single dish we tried was excellent! We came here after watching Guy Fieri on DDD and we were NOT disappointed! We've been to a few of the places he has reviewed and this was hands-down the best! We tried four dishes, the Mediterrenian Pie, Macarthur Chicken, Pigs in a Blanket and Black Bean Corn Cakes. My favorites were the Mediterrenaian Pie and teh Macarthur Chicken. All the dishes were unique in their own way. This place has things down and I am definitely going back next time I'm in Richmond! read more

Great little bar and grill Great burgers and dinner specials. If you go there when there busy it can be a longggg wait for a table, but that should not stop you from trying this little jem of a place. read more

Dot's is great neighborhood diner. I have been here several times over the years and have never had a bad time. The menu is not particularly adventurous but there are great specials and special deserts seem to be served on a rotation. My advice is to hit Dot's on a Tuesday through Thursday. Friday and Saturday nights are especially busy and if the weather is bad you won't want to wait outside. read more

Went there yesterday the food was great, A must to try there Bourbon Steak. Will be going back soon. read more

Was looking for something late at night and cheap and Dots filled the order. Got huge burgers with potato wedge fries and got an appetizer of beer battered shrimp with sweet chili and honey sauce. We will be back! Not to mention great service! read more

Dots Back Inn - Diners Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

You will be glad you went. Definitely not the same old place. Offering was great. Hamburger list is all inclusive of everything you could want. All of the burgers looked good. Sandwich selection was plentiful. So many choices. All the food we had was great. The fried potato wedges were awesome. As was the spicy potato salad. Will definitely be back. This is the type of Place you will be glad someone told you about. Service was better than most restaurants in greater Richmond. read more

If you're looking for a classic diner, this is the place to go! Burger and chili were phenomenal. Great atmosphere and friendly staff.

Good. Solid choice but a really tough option for someone who is gluten free. I had daily special of meatloaf, mashed potatoes & collard greens. Loaf was piping hot and really good, taters were cold. Hubby had Cuban sandwich which he really liked. Would try for breakfast if we lived in Richmond. read more

Used to be a big fan of this place, but I feel like the food has unfortunately gone down hill. Stopped in and we had a club sandwich with fries, and their chili dog ('loaded frankfurter'). First, I will say that I love this place and all of the local spots we have here in Richmond, but I feel like Dots has gotten lazy with their food. The club was sub-par: very dry bread which broke apart when eating (also overly toasted), and otherwise just a disappointing experience. Fries however were great- fresh potatoes, hand-cut and tasty! The chili that was on the hot dog was so loaded with sugar it was hard to eat. We found that it was lacking in spices, and the sugar just overpowered everything. Truly a shame as we were excited to come out here. I'm sure they will continue to pack the house, but it's just sad to see one of your favorite spots decline like this. I will mention that during the hour that we were there for lunch we witnessed no less than 3 separate tables around us send back their food while we were here, which was very telling. This place has a great vibe, and a wonderful group of seasoned servers but the kitchen seems to have kind of checked out. read more

Wasn't impressed... Burger was average & the rice pudding was not worth the $5 for less than a 1/2 cup. A lil overpriced read more

Yum, good food friendly service can't ask for much more. I will definitely visit again to try other menu items. read more

Dots Back Inn - Spicy Red Potato Salad - Diners Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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