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    Lilly Pad

    4.2 (172 reviews)
    ModerateSeafood, American, Pizza
    Closed 4:00 pm - 9:00 PM
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Lilly Pad Photos

    Business Info

    LILLY PAD ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Trendy
    Loud
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Lilly Pad

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    Reviews With Photos

    Black and Blue w/ Onion Rings
    Janae H.

    You gotta excuse the pictures because I was in the process of my phone dying. I did taste the onion rings and they were a 10/10 I got the catfish sandwich with cheese & fries. OMG, I'm still thinking about that sandwich a whole 4 days later, lol I did overhear some of my dinner companions saying that the crab dip was a 8/10. This is a 30 min drive from DT Richmond but well worth the drive. The service was great... The ambience was perfect for a fall night on the water...not muggy/hot but not so cool you needed a coat...just perfect. Next time I'm I. Richmond I will definitely make my way here for another catfish sandwich and onion rings which are filling but I would like to try the oysters and crab dip....maybe even take a dessert home.

    Pimento cheese
    Emily S.

    I LOVE this place in the summertime! The dockside food and drinks make you feel like you're at the beach even though you're only 20 minutes from the city. The patio is dog-friendly which is a huge plus. There is often a short wait for a dining table, but they have a separate waiting area where you can order drinks and some small plates, and there's even a server that comes to the waiting area specifically to get your order. It's always a great time out here (oh and the yummy food/drinks are great).

    Dill pickle pizza
    Rachel S.

    Really cool spot right on the water. The vibes are awesome. Dill pickle pizza was delicious, I would've loved if they put ranch on it! But next time will get a side to dip. Crab cake sandwich was good! Service and drinks were good.

    Rob R.

    Always friendly. Food is all that you'd hope for. The atmosphere and views are soothing. Live music is never overwhelming. Perfect for dock and dining.

    Kathleen D.

    I've been intrigued by the Lilly Pad's concept for quite a while and finally made it out there for the first time last weekend with a large social group. Right off the bat, I noticed large swaths of swarming bugs, but I wore insect repellent and walked away from the evening with not a single bite. Pretty amazing. And also, bugs are to be expected at night in the summer when a restaurant is directly on the water. There were also kittens living under the deck there, and I hope that once they are old enough, they find loving homes. The orange baby in particular looked terrified when he was on the deck, racing around away from the noise. I felt so bad for him and just wanted to scoop him up. They only seat full parties, so once everyone was there, we made our way to some picnic tables. Some folks in the group had chairs with seat backs, and I was jealous of them as someone with back issues. Since I was pretty exhausted, I stuck with water for my drink, though everyone else loaded up on shots and cocktails. The cocktails looked so tasty and refreshing, and I'll definitely need to try them in the future. People gave rave reviews. For food, I ordered a small caesar salad and a pepperoni Detroit-style thick pizza. Both were quite good, and I believe it was the first time I've tried Detroit pizza. They offer pizza in traditional style also. I had leftovers for a few meals' worth. I also ordered a cinnamon roll to go, which I ate for breakfast the next morning after nuking it for 20 seconds, and it was delightful. Service was great, the prices were reasonable, and the views make for a serene, casual dining or drinking experience. I'd definitely return.

    Ray C.

    My Mom and Aunt were in town and enjoy seafood. So today I decided to take a gamble on a place I've never been. I've heard about the Lily Pad for a while now but have never been. The Lily Pad sits along the James river next to Osbourne Boat Landing Park. The seating area is outside with seats in the sun and shade. The seats are right on the river with a very nice view. Boats are able to pull up, tie up and have dinner before heading back out on the water. Todays visit I had the fish and chips. My Mom had the Catfish sandwich. Both were great meals. The portions were a very nice size. This is a great place to come and hang out. I have heard they have live bands but there was none here on my visit. They have a nice drink selection and a small but very nice menu to chose from. I have to admit I have been missing out on this treasure. This is a great place to come hang out, have a drink and just enjoy the view. I will definitely be back to the Lily Pad in the near future! There are some other dishes that I am looking forward to trying.

    Cheeseburger
    Mary A.

    We enjoyed our visit on a warm but not too hot summer day. We had a 30 minute wait but they had tables and chairs for waiting and have a wait service for drinks and appetizers. The setting is gorgeous. Our seats were waterside and had an umbrella which provided some shade. Boats can pull up and get food service directly on their boat which is cool. We had the crab dip with pita bread to start and it was delicious. For our entree we had the cheeseburger and shrimp po-boy. Both were good but we favored the cheeseburger. It was really well made. We will definitely visit again - it's worth the 40 minute drive!

    Crab legs, Taco basket and Fish and chips
    Cecilia N.

    A delightful dining experience on the James river with affordable meals and great service. The scenic views create a relaxing atmosphere,has a small town, road house feel, tucked away in a small rural community just on the outskirts of Richmond, Virginia. Perfect for enjoying a meal on a warm summer night with friends and family . The menu offers a variety of delicious and reasonably priced options, ensuring there's something for everyone. The staff are friendly and attentive, making sure your visit is enjoyable from start to finish. Highly recommended for a pleasant and memorable dining experience!

    Joy S.

    What a view!! My girlfriends and I went on a Thursday night and it wasn't that busy at all- thank goodness! It wasn't scorching hot either because of the breeze. The view of the water is breathtaking! Our waitress was very attentive and checked on us at least ten times. The food was pretty good. I had the mushroom swiss burger with fries-yummy. My gal pal had the fish and chips and she said it was yummy too. We will definitely be back!

    Yum
    Jessica P.

    Lily Pad offers a beautiful waterfront view and a relaxed atmosphere. No straws, but not a big deal. The catfish and crab cake sandwich were delicious, and the drinks were great. Be mindful of the weather--it's outdoor seating only! Wouldn't recommend in the cold, but perfect for warm days.

    Katie W.

    I enjoyed my experience at Lilly Pad. The atmosphere was great - the restaurant is located right on the river, so you get very scenic views while eating. Dining is outdoors, but the dining area is covered by large tents and umbrellas, so most seats are shielded well from the sun. There was live music in the evening when we were there. Service was relatively quick. The food was hot and tasty. The only downside is that it's a bit of a drive - we had to drive over a half hour from Mechanicsville; but it was worth the drive. I will definitely be back again.

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    7 months ago

    Nice place to grab a beer and a bite while watching boats and sunsets. Servers are always friendly and efficient.

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Fun place to take folks visiting in warm and cold months. Reliable good food and solid becvvys.

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    11 months ago

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    10 months ago

    Great place to unwind and enjoy some good food! Really happy we could stop in during our roadtrip for dinner. Kid friendly.

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    3 years ago

    Excellent food, excellent service and awesome environment. Went for salsa dancing and it was so much fun!

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    Lilly Pad Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Lilly Pad

    Is this place African American friendly? I know it is a rough question to ask-but just wanna make sure. It is a real question unfortunately in this day and age. I apologize for even having to ask.

    I went with a friend and it was fine. Good customer service all around! I did go on salsa night though so it was a mixed crowd, if that makes a difference.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    The Salty Siren

    The Salty Siren

    4.2
    (39 reviews)
    11.1 mi

    The food, the service, the ambience? Wow!! We are visiting the area and were longing for something…read morelocal and authentic. We ended up at the Salty Siren for two reasons, one, it was recommended by one of the guides at the Henricus Historical Park as being near the Farrar's Island historical marker (ancestors) and it was on the river. The view was gorgeous. We were promptly seated at an outdoor table overlooking the water. Our server, Jodi H., greeted us with a smile and offered to get our drinks and our calamari appetizer. It was excellent. Light, crispy, fresh with a few fried jalapeños for zing. The dip served with them was really good. I ordered fried oysters, which came with authentic hush puppies (which for this southerner means no sugar!) and I ordered the vegetable of the day (steamed broccoli) to sort of make up for the "fried". My husband ordered the grilled salmon. His salad was huge and the vegetables were so fresh that I filched some of his cucumbers. His salmon was amazing. It was perfectly cooked and it was so moist and tender. We will try to return if we are ever travelling this way again. Try The Salty Siren. Even if you don't go looking for the mile maker afterwards.

    What a great place to get a great view of the river at sunset in a wonderful open air restaurant…read more The restaurant is shaped like a giant yurt with giant windows that open to the beautiful deck and water. Crab cake sandwich, fresh oysters and cheesesteak were our choices and were definitely good choices. The service could not have been better. Prompt service and cheerful smiles. We will definitely be back. Thank you Salty Siren.

    Photos
    Main dining room (inside)
    Main dining room (inside)
    Bacon Date Flatbread!
    Bacon Date Flatbread!
    The view!

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    The view!
    Fat Boys Bar and Grill

    Fat Boys Bar and Grill

    4.3
    (110 reviews)
    9.3 mi
    $$

    The food here was really good. My kiddo specifically asked for cheese fries for his birthday lunch,…read moreso after asking for recommendations on Facebook, this place seemed like the best choice. It can get a little pricy, especially when you want to try all of the things, but the portions were plentiful and tasted delicious. We started with the cheese stick roulette, where they apparently prep a bunch of different cheeses for cheese sticks earlier in the week, and then just randomly grab six to deep fry when you order it. You have no idea what it is, they have no idea what it is. Pretty fun and delicious and we love cheese, so total win. We ended up cutting them in half just to check what they were before eating because the kids do not like anything remotely spicy and pepper jack is one of the cheeses, so we just had to verify it wasn't that so they could eat it and hubs and I ate those ones instead. I thought the tomato coulis it was served with was stellar, and the fruity jam was also amazing. I could not decide which one was better for dipping the cheesesticks in, and I ended up keeping both condiments when the cheesesticks were gone so I could dip my fries in them. A fantastic choice, they were both great with the fries. Which I might add, are AWESOME! They are scoopable fries. So... like a cross between potato skins and potato wedges. They were both crispy and soft and very unique and so worth the trip. They also use the cheese dip instead of just shredded cheese, so it stays creamy and gooey. All of the burgers sounded awesome and it took us a very long time to decide what we wanted (I had been looking at the menu days in advance to make sure I could decide) and we opted for the Southern Gentleman (pimento cheese, hot honey and fried chicken) and the PBJ and I can't decide which one I liked more. They were both completely different and completely delicious. If I had to make a recommendation... I'd say bring a friend, order one of each and split them like hubs and I did. Choices are for suckers. Kiddos opted for the cheese fries that he came for (which come with bacon, btw) and the kiddos cheeseburger meal, and they both loved them. The service was great too, even when this place was pretty darn crowded on a weekday lunch hour. Also, don't be fooled by the storefront driving by, this restaurant is waaaaaaaay bigger on the inside than it appears on the outside. There was plenty of seating. The music was a touch too loud, but they also had some yummy sounding specialty drinks, as well as a bunch of local beers. My kids have been asking to come back pretty much since we left the restaurant.

    Stopped by on Thursday for a late lunch with a bunch of coworkers after hearing about their peanut…read morebutter and jelly cheese burger. Upon arrival, it was quite busy but the location still had plenty of seating. When we were seated, we noticed it was only one waitress waiting tables too. She was able to get us our drinks and orders pretty quickly despite working solo. I was the adventurous one in our group and ordered the pb and j cheese burger. Upon initial bite, it really tasted like a really well constructed burger. It was a double patty burger with white cheese. You don't really taste the jam. As you're chewing, the peanut butter comes out and it really makes the bite more creamy and definitely tastes of peanut butter. Overall, I would recommend fat boys for sure. Everyone thought the food tasted great and the portions were big. Definitely worth the trip!

    Photos
    A nice selection
    A nice selection
    2 egg platter ... cooked to perfection.
    2 egg platter ... cooked to perfection.
    Margarita Flight ($15)

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    Margarita Flight ($15)

    Lilly Pad - seafood - Updated August 2026

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