Food, service, and ambience was good. The seating sucked for my group of 7. Drove all the easy from Northern VA to meet friends and we were unable to be seated at one table together. I will not likely try this place agsin. read more

Restaurant was delish. We went for brunch and decided to choose lunch items. The egg-rolls were amazing and so were the brussels. I also ordered the chai cocktail and the Nashville hot chicken sandwich, and both were also delish. This new location is also beautiful! There's 2 levels. Parking does suck, but that's typical for downtown Richmond. The service was also great. Everyone we interacted with was super nice and helpful. I'm looking forward to coming back for dinner. read more

Lillie Pearl - Fried Brussels Sprouts Short Rib Egg Rolls - Southern Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Everything was right on spot. Food was great, service excellent and a great new space for them. They have changed decor from the dim sum place that was previously in the space. I would highly recommend. Lillie Pearl has been doing things right with a strong following for some time now. I think a good decision on the move up the street to a bigger and nicer space. Best of luck! read more

Came to this place based on Yelp reviews and was not disappointed. The short rib egg rolls were excellent. The Thai basil dipping sauce is perfect. Lobster shrimp and grits was delicious. The grits were the perfect texture. ( I'm not sure why I can't get good grits in California). Lastly we share the sweet potato cornbread-nice!! I only wish we had room for the peach cobbler. It looked wonderful. Grace was our server and so helpful. Not only with our menu selections but also things to see and do in Richmond. read more

The service was mixed. Our waitress did a great job managing our tables. The manager "Jason"wasn't so helpful. The issues was my party of 7 wasn't able to sit together. They have a policy for large groups over 7 people to reserve the table for $80.00. The manager made a comment that some people don't want to pay the $80.00 fee. We asked the manager to resolve the seating issue. He told us "I will take the hit! Also the bathroom didn't have running water. The food was mediocre. The place was nicely decorated. We were seated upstairs. It's not likely that I will be back. One reason is I live in the DMV. The other reason is it's not that great. I really wanted to like this place. It's in the historic downtown area of Richmond. read more

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We went to Lillie Pearl for Mother's Day weekend and visited the new location for the first time. We dined upstairs with a beautiful view and absolutely loved the new space. The music, atmosphere, and service were great as always. We had the soft shell crab on risotto, fried chicken with mac and cheese and collards, wedge salad, and some very tasty beverages. Everything was flavorful and well prepared. We've already been back since Mother's Day...but shhh! Can't wait to return AGAIN. read more

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Really nice meal. Service was wonderful (from my own waitress and her coworker in the same space- just hearing the interactions with other customers - genuine care and pride in their jobs, it shows!). I enjoyed the sweet potato cornbread, the short rib egg roll was solid, though i may not repeat that one. My main was the lobster shrimp and grits- the taste was on point, just disappointed in portion size for the price and there were literally two shreds of lobster in it.. the shrimp was cooked well though, not overdone or rubbery. I would actually order this again.. but after trying other offerings. Will be back! read more

Lillie Pearl - Lobster + Shrimp + Grits - Southern Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Okay, this is a common thread in Richmond, but the parking around here is usually hit or miss. This time it was a miss, and luckily it was raining to boot. Fun, wet times lol We were greeted by a very busy pair of hostesses with smiles on their faces. We did not have a reservation and it was a Sunday. I noted going forward that I will call ahead and reserve seating because it was BU-SY. We were seated within minutes and our server was kind and knowledgeable, always speaking through a smile. The decor was something I would label as modern southern boutique style. The walls were exposed wood painted black with what I can only assume are family portraits adorning the top floor's back wall. (If you can sit upstairs, you should because that view!). The menu is well manicured and specific to a certain region (where bacon is the winner). All of the gravy was bacon gravy, so if your not a fan of bacon, stay away from brunch. Also note, if you don't get here early enough, they are going to sell out of the French toast (I just missed it). We did procure a skillet of their famous sweet potato cornbread with whipped honey butter. Sweet potato is not usually a favorite. However, oh my, does the sweet potato cornbread deliver the goods here. To quote an excerpt from my notebook, "it tastes like riding a golden wave of sweet, cinnamon-y goodness." The brunch items were delicious, but wow, that cornbread. I am going back for that. I enjoyed the biscuits and gravy (I prefer sausage, but bacon was okay). I got a side of sausage, and it was the smoked sausage kind so not pork patties as I'd hoped. My partner had the Country Boy Benedict. I took the bacon and bacon gravy home for later (she's not eating beef or pork rn). Not to be missed: The bathrooms here were exquisitely clean, even after a busy breakfast/brunch rush. I wouldn't eat off of the floor. However, it was odorless, and the interior appeared spotless. read more

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Delicious southern food, friendly staff, not the best atmosphere. Duck breast was cooked to perfection. The lobster shrimp and grits was delicious. Unfortunately there were only the smallest hints of lobster, so felt a little cheated there. Seating could be more comfortable. Some of the chairs were hard wooden chairs and tabletops for 2 were super small. Our starter plates were also really grimy and we needed to be served new ones. read more

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Last month, my friend and I went to Richmond for an event, and decided to go to this restaurant, and so glad we did! As soon as you walk in, there is a welcoming vibe, good music, and amazing staff! The food was on point and lots of flavor! Our server told us about the history of his family and the beautiful family pictures on the wall. We felt at home. We are planning to go back! Loved this place! read more

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First time at Lillie Pearl. First off, the location is excellent. Right in the heart of downtown. And the space is spectacular. The interior decor is very retro, very cool. On to the meat and potatoes: Got seated quickly (had a res). Server (Caleb) was attentive, but not overbearing which was nice. Helped me out with ordering the brussel sprouts, suggesting them as a side instead of the appetizer (since it was just me) which was cool. Food: Phenomenal. Ordered the braised short ribs with a side of fried brussel sprouts. Short ribs were meaty, super tender, flavorful and plentiful. Served over mashed potatoes. With a (large) side of really good collard greens. The brussel sprouts were different from any other brussel sprout I've ever had. Very much had a "kung pao chicken" vibe to them (that's what Caleb called it, and he was right). Really really good. Only downmark is on the banana pudding. It was "good" don't get me wrong.....but it was super sweet and didn't have any real bananas or Nilla wafers in it. I would have been happy if the serving was 1/2 the size it was (because it was so sweet, couldn't eat the whole thing). Just came off as overly commercial. All in all a great meal, and a great start to a Saturday evening. read more

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Enjoyed our visit to Lillie Pearl. The layout is a little odd - poor servers have to go up and down the stairs for EVERYTHING. Can't imagine why they would have set things up this way in a brand new spot. Drinks were extremely sweet - would honestly just have preferred wine and wish we'd gone that route. Enjoyed the cornbread, brussels sprouts and oysters (though they served the oysters with two sauces, no spoons, no oyster fork, teeny tiny lemon wedges, making them less than ideal to enjoy...I mean, at least a spoon for the sauces would have been welcome). The chicken wings were dry. The mains were enormous and we were fairly full by the time they arrived. The variety on the mains is a little lacking - nothing jumped out as particularly special and it was all quite expensive. An odd thing I'm not a fan of - they had us keep our cutlery from round one for round two. They should change those out without comment. Especially since there were no spoons for the oysters, we had to use forks to put hot sauce on those and, well, just didn't want oyster flavor in my main. All in all, it's a nice restaurant and service was good. A little more variety would help, some less sweet cocktails, and the appropriate cutlery for the dishes on order would all be welcome! read more

The food was excellent and definitely worth the visit. The only downside was the longer wait and overall service time due to limited staff. Despite that, the quality of the food made for a good dining experience. read more

This was my 2nd visit to Lillie Pearl at their new location at 305 Brook Road. I absolutely love the new location. The decor and the ambiance are invigorating & soul soothing concurrently. On both occasions I ate in the upstairs dining area & I really enjoyed being able to look out their windows & observe the hustle & bustles of Broad Street while dining. The music that played in the background while we dined was the perfect aural companion to a down home Southern cuisine centered meal. As you know, I love when the music in the restaurant compliments the cuisine & Lillie Pearl's playlist is top notch. During our dining time, we ordered their Smoked Wings as our appetizer. The wings were perfectly seasoned & visually appealing. However, I found them to be a bit dry & overcooked for my taste. My dining companion, however, had no problem with the wings texture. She enjoyed them very much. For my main meal, I ordered their Wild Game Burger[a mixture of Waygu Beef, Bison & Wild Boar] with a side order of Fries. The burger was cooked perfectly. It was well seasoned & juicy. The fries were delicious. They were crispy and also perfectly seasoned. I could have eaten a whole plate of just the fries alone. I ordered a cocktail to complement my meal, the Sweetest Thing. It was bright, crisp & a perfect drink for my food. As for Customer Service, Our server was courteous & attentive & knowledgeable about any menu changes we needed to be aware of. Also of note for me was that I had a reservation I needed to change to an earlier time slot & the staff was able to accommodate my request expediently. I also appreciated the fact that they informed me in advance that they were still on the Lunch menu & not dinner as my initial reservations had requested. I find that type of honesty & transparency refreshing & is definitely one of the reasons I will ALWAYS be a loyal Lillie Pearl customer. read more

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This restaurant truly delivers on its nice aesthetic appeal, offering a beautiful and inviting space. However, be warned: this popular spot gets packed early! Even on a Tuesday night, the restaurant was full by 6pm. We didn't have a reservation and were seated at the bar, which worked fine. I highly recommend you make a reservation if you want a table. For the main course, the Shrimp and Grits was delicious. It was so creamy and s good portion. I have a sweet tooth so I was excited to try the sweets. The Bread Pudding is to die for. We also tried the Banana Pudding, which was equally wonderful. We greatly appreciated the staff's accommodation. They kindly split the check three ways and even managed to seamlessly divide the cost of the two desserts among the three bills. I would return. read more

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09/27/25 Came here for an after race meal, Run Richmond 16.19. Service was a really slow. We had to keep requesting the same things from our server as he never brought it out I ordered the short rib egg rolls and I did enjoy them. One of my dining companions ordered the Lillie salad and Brussel sprouts. She shared the Brussels with the table and they were cooked to perfection and were very crisp but tender. Collard greens were a no for me. In MY opinion they do not have any flavor. This was my first time having stewed tomatoes in my collard greens, not a fan I ordered the peach cobbler bread pudding to go and I did enjoy it back at my hotel. The bread pudding was still warm when I arrived back to my hotel The ambiance & decor were cool. Space - instagramable Music - decent level where you could still have a conversation with your table mates Parking was easy as you really have to read the signs. The parking at the church is restricted M-F and on Sunday morning...any other time, it's free game Lillie Pearl next time I'm in Richmond, you will be on my list to try dinner read more

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What a perfect dining experience! From the friendly woman who took our reservation to our amazing server, the staffing is first class. And the food? Oh my goodness, where to begin? From the Brussels sprouts to the indulgent shrimp and grits to the shareable banana pudding... just truly an outstanding meal for all four of us. The space, which we learned is new, is historically modern (is that a thing?) and light-filled. We'll be back! read more

Stopped past this place based on the reviews. The service was good. I liked the esthetic of the restaurant. The dinner menu was ok, not enough options for me. I had the short rib meal with Mac and cheese & collards. The ribs were so tender and really good. The sides were meh. They weren't seasoned very well. For dessert we had the peach cobbler bread pudding and that was delicious. The music was really good! I can appreciate a restaurant that plays great music. read more

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Absolutely worst customer service and hospitality ever. I was given every excuse why they didn't answer the phone and was even told no one at the bar would be leaving soon so the seats wouldn't be available soon either. When I tried to explain that their phone wouldn't ring, the host immediately cut me off to explain how busy they were. The disgusted look on their face as I walked in explained everything regarding their service. As a chef ! This is a terrible way to conduct business and I will be carrying my review to Google as well. read more

Lillie Pearl - Southern Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Reservation: highly recommended Parking: available on the street or a parking garage in a short distance. Appetizers: braised short rib egg rolls Two well seasoned egg rolls filled with delicious braised short ribs. Perfect size for sharing. 5/5 Wedge salad - the salad is one large bushel of lettuce. The salad is filling and flavorful. I especially loved the generous amount of REAL bacon. 4.5/5 -Smothered Pork Chop- The pork chop was surprisingly a large portion, tender and the sauce or gravy with the onions was chef's kiss 5/5 - Hoppin John - first time trying and it was AMAZING!! It was delicious flavors that I could quit figure out. Think red beans & rice with a burst of flavor. The sauce or gravy combined with the pork chop were a perfect pairing. The pieces of crispy Brussels sprouts were an added treat. 5/5 - Mac & cheese - awful and very disappointing. The mac & cheese was dry and tasted old. 0 Our waitress was very knowledge and attended to our needs. The Hoppin John she suggested was amazing. My food was delicious and the service was great. I can't wait to return to try the bread pudding. Highly recommend a visit. read more

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Visited on a Friday night at 6PM and it was not as busy as I expected it to be. We got the Brussel sprouts appetizer and I highly recommend, it may have been the star of the entire meal. The best part is the spicy ranch and sticky Asian glaze they toss sprouts with. I ordered the fried chicken and it was good, I'd give it a 7.5/10. We also got the peach cobbler bread pudding and it was amazing. Laura was our server - she was friendly, attentive and patient. Really love the decor including old penny tile flooring and overall ambiance. read more

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Lillie Pearl hosted our work group for dinner one night, a group of about 20 or so, and a rowdy crowd at that. They were sweet and accommodating, which we appreciated! Food was delicious, I especially enjoyed the Brussels sprouts. The striped bass was also quite good. Servers were friendly and we were able to walk from our hotel, a big win! read more

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This place was such a delight!! They have a variety of options on the menu, (great options for seafood which I loved), a friendly/caring staff, and overall cozy, rustic vibe. You can see right into the kitchen which was really special; those guys are hard at work and it shows! Everything was tasty and hearty. Perfect spot for a flavorful but casual dinner read more

Lillie Pearl - Seared Sea Bass - Southern Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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The dollar signs should be higher. My husband ordered duck for $32 and it was probably only 4 ounces of meat. My husband was very disappointed. The polenta was lovely but did not make up for the lack of duck. I ordered the crab cakes which were a good size but totally burnt on the bottom and the greens that came with the dish were tasty but not enough in portion. My daughter's short rib rolls were over cooked but still edible and had good flavor. Disappointing value for almost $200 meal for 3 people. read more

I like the layout of this souther cuisine restaurant in RVA. They have tables throughout the restaurant along with bar seating. The staff were nice. The wings were good. The crispy skin salmon was delicious. It was accompanied by a corn and arugula salad...very fresh. Someone got the lobster shrimp and grits. They said it was real good. Someone got the fried chicken with Mac and cheese and collards. They said that was good. I added a side of hopping John, which was yummy. read more

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Dinner for one coming up. It was the beginning of the dinner hour and I had my choice of seating. I chose upstairs seating with a view through the window. I looked over the menu and wanted to try everything. Started off with the sweet potato cornbread served in a small hot skillet butter on top, the bread was delicate and delicious. You can savor the light mouth watering spice, which left me trying to figure out which spice it was. Order it...it is so good. Next, the short rib egg rolls with that basil Thai sauce for dipping, you can eat that sauce all by itself. For my entree I had the short ribs. I expected the short ribs to be bone in, but it was off the bone and tender on a bed of mashed potato with gravy. The collards are meatless but bursting with flavor and cooked to perfection. I ordered peach cobbler to go. A special shout out to my server Malcolm who made my experience at Lillie Pearl enjoyable and insisted I tried the cobbler. I did and just gained five pounds. read more

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Had a great experience here for brunch! The southern comfort food really hit the spot--everything we tried was absolutely delicious and full of flavor. The service was amazing, super attentive and all of our dishes came out right on time. The only downside is that it's a little on the pricey side, but overall, definitely worth checking out for a tasty brunch! read more

Lillie Pearl - Dad's Dad's Breakfast Sandwich - Southern Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

My first time in Richmond, VA. Tried a black owned restaurant Lille Pearl. I love to support! 1. Customer service = Decent 2. Braised Beef Egg rolls= missing braised beef- should have been called sweet collard greens egg rolls as that is all I tasted ( even when dissected only saw CG) not good. 3. Waiter recommended Shrimp/Lobster Grits = did not disappoint, very tasty sauce. 4. Short Ribs and Mac & Cheese= delicious 5. Sweet Tea- probably not ordered by many. It tasted like it had been there all day- I had to add water in order to drink. Overall, I would recommend. I would probably go at lunch or for early dinner as they were out of some items. Very nice and clean. Music was good and at a good volume. I did not go upstairs, but from the outside the esthetic looks nice! read more

Food is delicious! Service fast and friendly. ordered a martini that was amazing! Rum, Kuhlua, coffee. and banana liquor-highly recommend read more

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There are not enough good words to say about Lillie Pearl. I was in town for a weekend and heard that this place had a great brunch. My server was a handsome young man with cheekbones to die for and skin so smooth (he deserved that compliment). More importantly he was attentive and gave us great service. The food was amazing. We had the breading pudding French toast and shrimp and grits. It was absolutely amazing. The portion was small so I did not overeat. Highly suggest this for brunch in Richmond. read more

Really good service and food. The crispy salmon was cooked to perfection. Cheesy shrimp and grits was good too. Oysters were cold and fresh. Entrees range from $26-$42. The only drawback was the noise level. The low ceiling and loud music led diners to shout above the noise. Decibels reached 87, so painfully loud. read more

Very beautiful restaurant. The wall decor is really dope. You can really see how they pay Ami to somebody Lillie Pearl. The music was definitely pretty good and I like sitting in the window people watching. We had the smoke smoked chicken wings, the pork belly, the lily burger, and the lobster crabcake sandwich. The wings were good, the seasoning did drown out the spicy ranch slightly. The pork belly was absolutely delicious melt in your mouth cooked to perfection. That cream corn that came with it I could eat for days and days. The burger flavor was good could be a little extra cheesy and could use more sauce. But def a solid 4/5 . The crab cake was good, the lobster was a little subtle. And could use a little more sauce but also a solid 4/5. And the fries were crisp and delicious. My husband had the Lillie Pearl IPA and he said it was one of the best IPA's he's ever had. Overall a good experience. Would def suggest more sauce Jahira (she's a new food runner who I'm sure i spelled her babe wrong) she did an amazing job and was very personable! Will be returning and if you are able to, I definitely recommend sitting upstairs. read more

We did not realize that we had eaten at this restaurant for dinner when they first opened in its old location a few years ago. The first time, I wasn't wowed. Tried it again believing it to be a new experience for breakfast and I loved it! We started with as order of the sweet potato cornbread. It was very good. It wasn't dry as often found in other restaurants. For our entrees, I had the chicken and French toast and my husband had the peach cobbler French toast. Though it was good, he would have appreciated a protein side. The chicken with my meal was tender and delicious. When I travel, esp in southern states, I like to try chicken and waffles. Often they have too much hot sauce or it's dry. Lillie Pearls was perfectly cooked and seasoned. The French toast was very good too. Although it wasn't my ideal texture, it was very good and I'd order it again. Loved the new space it's in. We sat upstairs along the stair rail. It wasn't bad. I appreciated that they have bathrooms upstairs except they are unisex. The stairs seemed a problem for elders and disabled folk. Felt really bad for them trying to reach the second floor. Great ambiance and I love the photos of local folk and history gracing the walls of the restaurant. It feels like home. read more

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Let me tell you this. I was fully prepared to talk trash about this! Fully prepared to come on here and say - "after I came to this Black owned, Gullah Geechee born restaurant and asked for Vinegar to go with my greens & the waiter said all they have is balsamic vinegar" ... blah blah blah. But really the food was good. No they didn't have brown vinegar for the greens and that's just crazy BUT yes well worth the visit and this Peach Cobbler/Bread pudding mash up - wow! Incredible! read more

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It came highly recommended and they were not wrong. The first thing we tried was the sweet potato bread. It was better than having dessert. Creative cocktails and the variety of foods was amazing. read more

Beautiful restaurant. Hot honey chicken sandwich with cornbread load bread ILO brioche bun was juicy and packed with flavor. Cole Slaw as the side hit the spot. read more

Lillie Pearl - Front Entrance - Southern Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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I ate here in person and the short rib rolls were so good I door dashed at work today and it was not a good experience. The rolls were not the same dashed, mac n cheese was great, hamburger no seasoning and the heirloom carrots were black and charred. read more

Lillie Pearl - Heirloom Roasted Heirloom Baby Carrots Brunch - Southern Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Busy on a Tuesday night. We are a group of 7 and couldn't get a table but we got there early and was able to put two 4-tops together. The staff was very accommodating and helpful. We had the chicken wings, baked cauliflower, and spring rolls for apps. I would recommend the cauliflower to anyone any day. The wings and spring rolls are good but didn't feel special. We got to try dishes I haven't had - short ribs, crab cake, striped bass, and shrimp and grits of course. Everyone loved their food. read more

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I had the BLT for lunch. The bacon was thick and crisp, tomatoes were perfectly ripe and the sauce made it one of the best BLTs I've had. Had a seasonal heffeweizen which tasted really clean. Jeremy was great to chat with as I sat at the bar - stellar service. read more

Lillie Pearl - Back bar, menu, iced tea - Southern Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I cannot believe that I have not already submitted a review for this restaurant. I love this place and I still recommended them to anyone who inquires about a place to have dinner. The food is delicious and the portions are great whether ordered dine-in or delivery. That cannot be said for many places. The staff has always been pleasant. Though smaller and, Dre I say compact, it is a nice space to enjoy. I will continue to visit and order. The greens, salmon, fried chicken, and even brussel sprouts (which I don't usually eat) are delicious. read more