Great food and service! The vegetarian option on Monday was amazing (black bean nachos). The swordfish and fried chicken were definitely something I would recommend. Wonderful wine selection and the house cocktails are very good. We tried the Blood Moon, yum. Highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Came for restaurant week and they did not disappoint! Laura Lee's has been on my list of places to go in Richmond and I was so glad to see they had such a great restaurant week deal going on. I got the pea and mint cold soup, swordfish with polenta, & peach pie for dessert and everything was amazing! The drinks were also delicious. I definitely will be coming back and would love to sit out on their patio on a warmer night. read more

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This is a nice little neighborhood restaurant that really knocks it out of the park. The hanger steak is incredible. I had it a second time when we cane back, ad it was just as good. It is amazingly tender and savory. The fries and mac & cheese are both tasty sides, I had the former the first time and the latter the second. Their beer selection is small, but high quality. read more

Laura Lee's - Steak - New American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Made reservations for brunch to try something different and we are glad we did! Can park all around on the street- pulled up at 11am on a Sunday and got one right out front the door. Cute little place with bar seating, high tops and booths. I enjoyed the art on the walls. Seated quickly with water and drink order taken within minutes of sitting. Husband got "Tigers Eye" and it was very good! Steamed mussels to start- came quickly and was good sized, flavorful and fresh. Would recommend! I got the Challah French Toast and husband got the crab cakes. Lots of people ordering the "Fried Chicken Platter". I saw it at least 5x while we were sitting there! Will definitely be back. Maybe for the Wednesday nights: Pasta for 2 with salad and a bottle of wine 50$. read more

I love it here. Wonderful gluten free options. The menu has seasonal items. The cocktails, including n/a options, are fantastic. It seems the service gets a little behind when they're busy or towards the end of the night, but I'm in no hurry. read more

Closing out Restaurant Week at Laura Lee's was such a fantastic, albeit last minute, decision. I wasn't particularly hungry after a day of snacking but it was my mom's last night in town, so we decided to grab dinner. We didn't have a reservation but they happened to have a table available almost right away at 7:30 p.m. It seemed to be a favored date night spot...being that I looked down the row and every single other two-top was occupied by a couple. Service was fast and friendly, and our server even offered a sample of one of their draft beers before committing (a saison by Kent Falls). Good thing, too, because I landed on their Broken Clocks cocktail instead: Bluecoat barrel-aged gin (my favorite gin!), grapefruit cordial, Plymouth Sloe Gin, lemon, egg white, and pink salt. Yep, it was just as phenomenal as it sounds. For my first course, I chose the arugula salad with crispy prosciutto, burrata cheese, pecans, and a melon vinaigrette. The melon was super subtle and the proscuitto made the dish exceptional. It was an ideal, light and refreshing spring dish. For my main, I selected the pork schnitzel, which came with mashed potatoes, asparagus, and black garlic brown butter. I didn't really notice the last ingredient so much, but the pork was a-okay. I would've liked it to have been a little thinner. Plus my first bite was a mouthful of fat. That's not to say it was bad; I've just had better elsewhere. But it did warm up nicely for work today! By dessert, I was beyond stuffed, but I couldn't pass up on the strawberry rhubarb tart. Oh, my goodness! Our server said she was advocating to get that on their regular menu, so here's my endorsement: It was ridiculously good! Seriously: Superb. Although in future iterations they could maybe consider a scoop of gelato instead of whipped cream. I think that'd elevate it to another level. All in all, my introduction to Laura Lee's was a positive one. It's a chill, open, and sophisticated restaurant serving top-notch cocktails and inventive dishes. I'm sure I'll be back. read more

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Always excellent food, beverages and service! We brought out of country guests this last time and they were absolutely NOT disappointed. Thanks for a lovely evening! read more

I've been going to Laura Lee's for years, which should say enough, but my wife and I have recently going for their Wednesday night pasta date night. It's easily the best deal out there, a bottle of red or white wine and a perfectly portioned serving of shareable pasta. We indulge in an appetizer and still walk away under $100. Service is always on point and attentive. read more

We were in Richmond for a few nights to get away. We came here in the evening when we arrived and did takeout. This location is beautiful. Great bar inside and is all over the restaurant. Beautiful pieces and a beautiful mural out front. The drinks to go were . Excellent! Almost any of the items can be gluten free. This was soooo exciting for me because I have a gluten sensitivity and it was the first time I was able to do fried chicken gluten free on a gluten free bun. The fries were also gluten free. My husband enjoyed his burger. While waiting for our food we sat on the patio and had a cold glass of wine and beer with our dog. Good spot! We will be back! Appreciate the inclusivity to dietary restrictions. read more

TLDR: Check the menu before coming but definitely worth a try! Came here for brunch. Must say I was expecting more from the great reviews. The place/atmosphere is beautiful and the staff was super friendly!! But the we were surprised by the short menu. We ordered drinks to start off, but none of us liked them much. My friend had a ice tea which she thought was watered down and the rest of us had coffee with tasted a bit burnt and old. We did ask for a new, fresh cup which our waiter brought out. We realized it was a much darker roast which none of us are fond of. The food was good and helped my review of this place! I ended up ordering a la carte items for a meal because the pre fixed menu didn't appease me. Almost all the meals (except the omelette) came with plenty of food. The fries were a little bit salty, but the eggs tasted great, the biscuits with honey butter were delicious, and the bacon was nice and crispy. read more

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It's a cute little restaurant as far as the ambiance. Overall, the experience was Just OK. We've been wanting to try somewhere new for brunch and gave it a go. We showed up right at 11 when they opened and ordered right away. The mussels came out quick but at 11:45 we were still waiting on our eggs. They did apologize for the wait because she said the biscuits were in. We didn't get any drinks and the tab was 75 dollars including tip. The food was good but to me just seemed too high/overpriced when compared to other brunch spots downtown. I might give them a try for dinner, not too sure. read more

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There was a nice selection of cocktails, wine and beer. I had several local beers and my wife enjoyed a glass of wine. We started our meal with "The Plate". It was a different spin on charcuterie. It had smoked fish dip, pimento cheese spread, pickled carrots, cucumbers and onions, jelly and several slices of a wonderful bread. I highly recommend this. It was excellent and could serve 3-4. My entree was pork cheeks with Brussels sprouts and grits. Wow, it was excellent. My wife got the pappardelle bolognese. It also was very good. Rich creamy and plentiful. To her surprise and dissatisfaction it was spicy. I tried it and I could eat it and enjoy it, but it was on the verge of too much heat for me. The description didn't address the heat or she wouldn't have ordered it. The atmosphere was quaint, cafe-ish, sort of dineresque. Service started off very well but faded as the night went on. She frequently was out of sight and not available. It did become busier. we will come back and I fully recommend since the food was great. Even the bolognese was great, just missed labeled on the menu. read more

I'm afraid I'm not very dependable at writing reviews regularly but I really needed to leave this one. What a terrific place. So friendly and hospitable, eager to adapt dishes to fit allergies and the food was just plain great. Will be back again...often! read more

Yes, yes and yes. I had no idea what milk bread was, but it's delicious and everyone should try it. The entrees were the perfect size and a combination of items you wouldn't normally put together, yet somehow work. Perfectly grilled Steak on top of cold potato salad should not work in theory, but somehow they make this not only work, but make you always want this combo. Just amazing! Now add on cute atmosphere and excellent service and it's the trifecta of awesomeness. read more

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I love Laura Lee's now. I had a shaky first experience years ago but this restaurant has really hit its stride. Make a reservation if you can! I love sitting in their back garden in good weather and hanging out at their bar anytime. They have a great drinks program and one of the best Bloody Marys in Richmond. They constantly get in new and unique drinks and it's so impressive. They make one of my husband's favorite chicken sandwiches in Richmond and they hold a top spot on my personal favorite bougie burger list. But this week we went to brunch there for the first time and got the Fried chicken platter. It was amazing! Everything was delicious and we added sausage gravy to it and left stuffed. Highly recommended. Also the best hush puppies' read more

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Love it all! Food,service and ambiance! Creative and delicious! Great vibes and delicious food, they generally have a special offered. I grew up near ForestHills. It's is sentimental going to Laura Lee's read more

Nice place with a chill vibe. Went with some friends. It was during the week so I'm sure a lot slower. However, we were able to discuss business. The waiters and food were AMAZEBALLS!!! read more

I ordered milk bread with honey butter which was very good! Highly recommend. I ordered a steak as main course and it was ok. I ordered for a medium and got between rare and medium rare. For an establishment like Laura Lee, this was a bit disappointing. I would come back for brunch to give it another try. read more

Laura Lee's - Pasta bolognese - New American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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This is the best dinner in Richmond. This unique location away from the busy city leads you to a host of surprises including fresh crafted cocktails unique recipes, responsible prices, delish upscale food. Really enjoyed this. Will be back any time we are in town. I rarely write reviews of places we go to dinner. This is a must stop. read more

From atmosphere to drinks to apps to food to desserts this restaurant is a gem. Love going there bc it always feels like you are getting farm to table chef dining food read more

Laura Lee's - Drinks - New American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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I should of left this review a long time ago since Laura Lee's is one of my most favorite places to visit (sorry for slacking). Thanks to the staff (shoutout to Ben and Micheal) for stellar consistency and great memories. The restaurant is designed nicely with the way everything is placed but I normally eat/drink at the bar. You can order the full menu here and are encouraged to do so. Parking can sometimes be difficult but most times there is a spot somewhere around the block. LL can fill up because of what they offer :) This place, hands down, has my most favorite cheeseburger and crab cakes. Laura Lee's is also vegetarian friendly and they do brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. I love this place and you will too!! read more

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I'm not sure how I haven't left a review yet for Laura Lee's. This is the kind of place you want to share with the world by shouting from the rooftops about how amazing they are. It's probably been less than six months since I first stepped through the front door of what has now become one of my absolute favorite restaurants ever. Not just in Richmond, but legit all time. The dining room is so cute and welcoming with half round booths and awesome artwork. But, you'll usually find me at the bar (which is almost always packed), where I have a front row seat to some magical mixology happenings. You can order the full menu at the bar, which is extensive and truly includes something for everyone. This place has the best cheeseburger and the best crab cakes I've ever had in my life. Those aren't easily said statements. I'm super picky about crab cakes and these things blew me away. They also have a delicious steak special every night, gorgeous and filling salads, they're vegetarian friendly AND they do brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. If I could only eat out at one restaurant for the rest of my life, this would be my pick. read more

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Quaint and cute aesthetic. Small menu but food was great. Recommend the chicken sandwich and fries! Drinks are good as well.

My husband and I were so excited to try this place! We decided to make a reservation for last night and they had one available at 8pm on their back patio. We arrive and had to still wait 40+ minutes.. they had the bar open and available to sit at, but still a slight disappointment. We ordered the beet salad and the ceviche scallops! The beet salad had little to no flavor but the ceviche was delicious! I found my entree (the bistro steak) a little underwhelming for the price, but my husband loved his scallop entree. Service was good, too! Their cocktails are yummy! I wouldn't come back here for dinner due to the price point vs what you get.. but we will try it again, this time for brunch/lunch! read more

A summer's shower had just concluded, as Mr. RVA made his way over the James River, onto Semmes Ave., in the Southside of Richmond. His destination you may ask? A cozy, local, neighborhood restaurant, where Chef Scott Lewis creates wonderful culinary art of the American Fare persuasion. Kendra Feathers, Richmond Magazine's 2015 Restaurateur of the Year, and owner of this wonderful establishment, named the restaurant after her mother. The stucco brick walls are enriched by hand-picked, canvas art pieces. Even cooler, are the hand painted murals of lovely ladies, who are patrons and performers, that have graced the locale with their inspiring presence and energy. The spot puts one in mind of an American Fern Bar; American slang for an upscale preppy bar or tavern, usually decorated with ferns as well as fixtures and furniture such as retro olive green sofa. So, Ladies and Gentlemen of Discovering RVA, allow me to showcase, Laura Lee's. @lauraleesrva . Appetizer- Fried Oysters & Remoulade ~ A generous catch of crispy and golden fired oysters accompanied by the house Remoulade Sauce. . Entree- Seared Scallops~ Perfect Pan Seared Bay Scallops resting atop Smoked Tomato Sauce, while encompassed by Butter Beans, Corn, & Okra. . . Wine Pairing- a glass of 2016 Sur Lie (Muscadet Sèvre et Maine), Chateau de l'Oiselinière, Loire Valley, France. . Dessert- A slice of warm Apple Pecan Crumble Pie with Whipped Cream resting on the top and escorted by a lovely scoop of their housemade Ice Cream. . Tegan- You basically hand crafted my entire experience tonight through your recommendations. LOL! Thank you so much for your hospitality and service. @ms._.picks . Executive Chef Scott Lewis- Brother, it was a pleasure meeting you. The meal was truly amazing and definitely delectable. Down to earth and killing it in the kitchen! Cheers Partner! @lew_lewiss . #discoveringrva . #804 #va #virginia #rva #richmond #richmondva #rvadine #rvaeats #Rvafood #food #foodies #foodshare #foodstagram #foodiesofinstagram #lifestyle #foodblog #foodblogger #foodlover #foodpost #foodography #delicious #delish #foodpic #eating #foodandwine #eeeeeats #foodiegram #igfood #forkyeah read more

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Please put this snack on your list. This small, intimate restaurant in the Woodland Heights neighborhood was the perfect Saturday night outing. We started with a couple drinks - the Tiger's Eye was balanced with Four Roses SB Bourbon and lime juice. Twin Flame with Black Pepper gin was spicy and refreshing. If you're into appetizers, The Plate is the perfect starter for dinner - the apple butter and pickled onion with the smoked fish spread on perfectly toasted sourdough was on point. I had the Pasta Bolognese with perfectly cooked rigatoni and a spicy meat ball, very satisfying. My date had grilled swordfish with fingerling potatoes - THIS WAS THE HOME RUN of the evening. So tender and moist (not always easy to do with swordfish). The noise level was elevated but not at all grating. We'll be making more reservations at Laura Lee's. read more

My boyfriend and I were looking for a great dinner experience one evening and we chose Laura Lee's. The lighting for dinner is romantic for a date. And we were taken care of very well by our server. We were both very hungry so we started off with a couple cocktails and milk break as the appetizer. The milk bread was baked perfectly and you can tell how fresh it is. We ordered the scallops as an appetizer even though it is technically an entree. He had the fried quail and I ordered the roasted Mahi. The scallops were perfect. The Mahi was cooked just right and the kimchi had very complimentary flavors. The fried quail was nice and crunchy and such a different experience. We enjoyed everything that evening and there was no room for desert ! read more

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Finally went to Laura Lee's! I've heard so many wonderful things about Laura Lee's and it did not disappoint. I really enjoyed the ambiance, it was cozy yet with retro modern vibes and lots of plants. We got lucky and were seated at a 4 top that didn't make us feel like we were sitting on top of other people. Not sure if that's always the case if you're seated somewhere else. I tried the Health Potion #9 mocktail and it was tasty and refreshing. We got the mussels for an appetizer and the scallops and the special for the night, pork cheek, for our entrees. Everything was delicious but the mussels were my favorite. read more

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Food and ambiance was great, but the cocktails were superb. For the price and quality, I will always choose l'opposum over here, but it was an amazing meal! read more

This review only applies to the Restaurant Week menu at Laura Lee's (since now I know they can ONLY serve the restaurant week menu during the time). I honestly had very high expectation for Laura Lee's seeing numerous recommendations. I even checked out the restaurant week menu beforehand and knew everything I wanted to order! Honestly everything sounded better than they actually were and I really wish I knew how little portion each dish were... For the party of two, we got the chicken liver crostini and the smoked pork ribs for appetizers. The crostini was tiny - even the plate it was served on was tiny. It was half of the size of ONE sliced bread, then it was again cut in half and served as two pieces. The chicken pate and the jam tasted great, good combination of creaminess and sweetness, but there just weren't enough spread for the bread (keep in mind how small the bread already is)! I wouldn't even count this as an appetizer! The smoked pork ribs tasted great - very smoky and savory with tad of sweetness. There were only 3 ribs so we realllllllly have to savor them. For entree, we got the double cheeseburger and bistro steak. The main reason why we ordered double cheeseburger is for the kimchi aioli but unfortunately, there weren't much of kimchi aioli on the burger. It was a decent burger, but it felt a bit dry and lacks any special/unique flavors because you can barely taste the kimchi aioli. The steak was cooked well to medium rare, again with the portion: there were only 4 small pieces of steak (which I understand because how costly steak can be), but there weren't that much cauliflower mash nor salad EITHER!! You might think I complain about the portion a lot, but I saw the scallop option another table ordered, and there were only TWO scallops on the plate! For dessert, we got the bourbon pecan coffee cake and double chocolate chess pie. The flavor of the coffee cake is great but the cake overall is dry, the edge of the cake is almost hard! But it tasted so good with the nuttiness and a mellow coffee taste that I still finished the whole thing. The chocolate chess pie was on the drier side too (especially the pie crust where it would stick to your teeth and mouth after you take a big bite) but as the biggest chocolate fan, I still destroyed the whole thing. I just love sweets. Overall, the reason why I gave the experience a three star is because of how nice the staff were and the dining atmosphere of the restaurant. I really hope the food experience I had does not represent all that Laura Lee's has to offer (I am giving them the benefit of doubt), and may consider going back for their regular menu. read more

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I went here for Spring restaurant week 2017. I was super excited because I've been dying to try this place! I know the pre-fixed menu is different from the normal menu. I am going to come back to review the normal menu but my review is based on the restaurant week one. For my appetizer, I ordered the potato and leek soup. This was SO good! It was super creamy and thick. It had fried shallots and a basil pesto topping on top that was also delicious and beautiful! For my entree, I ordered the roasted chicken breast with collard greens and shrimp & grits. I was actually very disappointed in this. My chicken had good flavor but was super dry. The collard greens were a little sweet for my preference. The dish also had straight up mustard around the whole dish, which I thought was a strange combo because I feel like it did not go with the rest of the flavor profiles. The shrimp and grits were okay but nothing special. Dessert: I ordered the strawberry-rhubarb pie. This was really good!! It was very tasty and had a streusel crumble like texture on top. It said it was supposed to come with whipped cream but it didn't. Overall, the appetizer and dessert were the best part of this meal. I do want to come back and try the normal menu another time! read more

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Underwhelmed That would be the theme of my visit to Laura Lees. LOVED the decor and the manager/owner who greeted everyone was a really good guy. The desserts looked tasty so my friend and I decided not to get drinks and save room for dessert. I ordered two of the smaller plates for my dinner, 1 being the charcuterie plate and the other being the house salad. The charcuterie plate was ok, the prosciutto was sliced much thicker than normal which wasn't a good consistency for my friend and my tastes. The salami was good, the bread was some how not crispy on certain pieces, the peach mustard was not peachy at all. The salad was basically greens with 3 tiny heirloom tomatoes and the herbal cream dressing had no flavor. Dessert was abbot better. I decided on the apricot and plum dish with cookies. Was pretty tasty. Like I said I was overall underwhelmed by my visit. read more

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I've heard great things and I mean Solange ate here so when I saw it was listed as a restaurant for restaurant week I had to go. They were very accommodating and even though I was late they still sat the rest of my party. Prices are expected for a fine dinning establishment but I would say the portions are small. As an app we got the shrimp and corn hush puppies which we my fav out of the two apps. The shrimp was a good size but definitely nothing that I haven't had before . I liked that it wasn't too oily but I wouldn't order it again . The corn hush puppies were FIRE! I think it had some seafood in it too and the sauce was so good, I could eat a whole basket of these things and were sad when we ate them all. As the main course we got the fried local trout and the gochujang marinated streak . I love fish & since my family fishes we eat a lot of trout . I ordered it cause I wanted to see a chefs take on an ingredient I love. The steak was small and while the flavors were good something was missing. I personally thought they should have picked a diff cut of meat and paired it with some rice . Maybe I am biased cause that's how I would have eaten it like that at home. I wanted to be wowed by our entrees but I felt like everything was good. Don't get me wrong the quality and freshness is present but the dishes weren't anything I didn't have before. Last but not least the desserts are made in house and we're delicious. Nothing was too sweet now while I wish the apple pie was warm I wasn't mad at it. Overall staff was nice and I am glad I have this marked off my list! I do wanna come back and check out the brunch menu and see what's to come. I like that Laura Lees uses fresh & local ingredients with fun flavors like gochujang and hope to see what's to come . read more

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There were only a few menu items that didn't have seafood and our food tasted like fish. We don't eat seafood so there wasn't much we could eat and then our chicken and steak both tasted strongly of seafood. Drinks and service were good. read more

Reserved a table tonight online for wife's birthday. I asked if some flowers could be on table for her and they certainly did that...thank you! We ordered a crustinni appetizer with honey and pistachio that was very fresh. Our meals were not only large portion but extremely flavorful. Strip steak with potatoes and chimmichurri sauce and a crab cake, shrimp and grits dinner. Service was sooo pleasant. We will certainly return. Wonderful dinner! read more

Laura Lee's - Appetizer - New American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Cute little place. Great menu and great service, what's not to like. Fried chicken sandwich was amazing, the chicken super hot and still juicy. Tried lunch, will try dinner next time. Cozy indoors but also have a back patio. read more

Upscale restaurant and bar with great ambience. Food and drinks are top notch. The decor of the place is photography worthy. Prices are high and quantities are just reasonable, however this is expected of a high end restaurant. Service was great and the waiter was very attentive to our group. I recommend this place to celebrate special occasions with family/friends. read more

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Super cute place, food above Richmond average standards, ill definitely go back! Xoxo

The only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is I don't like to give 5 stars on first visits. This one may well get next time I come. Last night had terrific dinner. It is restaurant week so they have a 3 course menu special for just this week (another reason felt needed to wait until next visit for 5 stars since it was not normal daily menu). But it was terrific. The flank steak I had was small but one of the best prepared I think I have ever had. Realize it came also with appetizer soul and desert as a part of restaurant week so may not be regular portion. Pumpkin cheesecake - amazing. Everyone enjoyed their dinner and we will be coming back. read more

Ambience: Been meaning to come here for a while, and finally made it out for a celebratory dinner on a weeknight! Laura Lee' is situated in Southside, an area of Richmond that is often ignored but growing quickly! I made a reservation ahead of time, but it was actually pretty empty for a Wednesday night which took away from some of the ambience. But, overall loved the decor and overall feel of this place. There were larger tables with semicircular sofas, which seemed great for going out for drinks with a group of friends. Food: The menu is pretty small (especially when it comes to entrees), but also to be expected for a "fine dining" experience. The menu had a a few of meat and seafood options, and one vegetarian option. We ordered the seared scallops, spicy chickpea and quinoa bowl, and fried brussel sprouts with spicy honey to share. Overall, the food was fantastic! Scallops are often overcooked and rubbery, but these were perfect. The Brussel sprouts were probably my favorite though - super crispy and the sauce they were coated with was a perfect mix of spicy and sweet. Between the two of us we had plenty of leftovers to take home. Service: All of the staff were very attentive and gave great recommendations read more

Laura Lee's - New American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia