i brought my husband here for his birthday and it definitely DIDNT disappoint! everything we ate was so good and the service was wonderful AND my husband was very happy and surprised to see his name on the menu so i wanted to thank them for that as well it made him feel very special we loved the christmas decor and they took our picture for us and the owner took one with us as well read more

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If you've ever wondered what it feels like to spend $240 for a full comedy experience, Book Binder's Seafood is the place. We walked in and the restaurant was completely empty, which really made it feel like we had rented out a very quiet, very expensive museum of disappointment. We asked for small oysters and were served oysters so big I briefly considered measuring them in feet instead of inches. I didn't order a seafood entrée, I ordered a challenge. The Shirley Temple came without cherries, which feels illegal on a spiritual level. The calamari, however, was the real star. I'm pretty sure I was chewing on it for a solid 10 minutes. By the end, I felt like I deserved a jaw workout badge or a certificate of endurance. The jumbo crab linguine was aggressively lemony and somehow cold, which is an impressive feat for a hot pasta dish. The salad didn't seem to know what it wanted to be in life. Wilted lettuce, wrong dressing, and the overall vibe of "airport food if you're blindfolded and emotionally unprepared." All of this came out to over $200, and about $240 with tip. For that price, I expected a seafood experience. What I got was a very expensive stand-up routine, starring my plate. read more

First, the good: Our server (Garrett, I think) was extremely attentive and came often. Our water glasses were never empty and Garrett was very polite. The wine list was very good and had an excellent selection from most regions. The spirits list was also good, with many pours and cocktails to choose from. The menu itself was very much par for the course for this kind of seafood and steakhouse. Two of us started with selections from the raw bar: a shrimp cocktail and oysters on the half-shell. Both tasted fine. For the main course, the scallops looked the best of the four dishes at our table and were apparently amazing. The rockfish special was also delicious and my steak was a perfectly cooked medium-rare. The red mashed potatoes were excellent as well. The table shared two berry bread puddings with ice cream and the bread pudding tasted good. The restaurant was pretty empty, as it was early dinner on a Tuesday. Our table by the window was perfect and we were able to talk and hear each other very well (until the end when a loud table was seated next to us). When we left, the owner was outside offering to take pictures of us with a phone. He had a ring light, posed us nicely, and we got to take home some nice photos, which was a nice touch. Now, the not so good: Although Garrett was super nice and attentive, I'm not sure they listened very well. My béarnaise sauce never arrived and Garrett looked at me oddly when I mentioned it, so I don't think he heard when I ordered it. Also, Garrett forgot my cousin's coffee at the end of dinner, and because we were headed to a show, he had to pass on the coffee due to time constraints. Although the wine list was very good, some wine bottles were marked up 400% or more from what you can purchase them for in the store. I understand when you order a glass of wine, the first glass needs to pay for the bottle, so by the glass is one thing. However, for the bottles to be so expensive I thought was a little excessive. I'd bring your own bottle and pay the cork fee if they allow it. As mentioned, the spirit list was good, but it would have been nice to see some more special whiskeys as well as some varied bourbon choices from Buffalo Trace distillery. When I got my shrimp cocktail, I have to say we were all rather shocked at how small the four shrimp were for $22! I order shrimp cocktail whenever it is on the menu and when it's that expensive, it's usually four to five colossal shrimp that could almost be considered a meal unto itself. These four shrimp were your normal run of the mill large shrimp that you could buy already cooked at your local grocery store for $2-$3 tops. It was really laughable. I don't mind paying a lot for it, but make it worth my while man. Our biggest complaint across the board is that all of the food that was supposed to be served hot was on the warm to even cold side. As mentioned earlier, I ordered a medium-rare filet, which I know is not going to be super hot due to how it's cooked, but it had hardly any temperature whatsoever. A little hot oil would have been an easy fix. Also, I couldn't taste any salt, so I'm not sure anything was done other than cooking it to how it was ordered (ever watch the Food Network, guys?). When I reminded them that I ordered béarnaise sauce (because I know that restaurants can serve steaks cold and with little taste, lol) it came quickly, so of course it too was cold. The thing that was supposed to warm and provide taste to my steak, did neither. Considering the price of things at Bookbinders, this is pretty unacceptable. To cap things off, when the berry bread pudding came out for the two ladies at our table, it was also served cold. One could say it was slightly warm, but it wasn't warm enough to melt the ice cream it was served with and was cold in the center. Although it tasted OK, it just wasn't enjoyable cold. Overall, a cold dinner that costs you over $500 isn't quite worth it. read more

Bookbinders is a fantastic fine dining experience in Richmond, especially for seafood. I've never ordered a dish here that wasn't great. Service is very attentive and friendly. read more

Random steakhouse in Richmond, Virginia turned out to be an amazing night. The food was amazing but the service was even better. The owner John came over to introduce himself and gave me a challenge coin when he found out I was former NYPD/FDNY. If you ever drive through this town, stop by and talk to the owner. The bartenders were amazing as well. Tyler and Kel. read more

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First time visit and was extremely satisfied. Our server was knowledgeable and friendly. The food choices on the menu were fantastic and the food tasted wonderful. Really nice atmosphere inside and of course it's right next to the river for ambience. Terrific place for a date night or special occasion. read more

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This is a fantastic place for a special occasion! I ordered the crab-stuffed lobster, and it was absolutely incredible. The cocktails were spot on, and everything was delicious. Our server was also great. read more

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Came for an anniversary and they pulled all the stops to make it special. The waiter was amazing and attentive, he came back often to check on us and make sure everything was okay. Also gave us recommendations as well. The food was absolutely amazing, my favorite was the ancho-rubbed ribeye steak, the portion size is so good. The portions for everything are so generous. In addition, we also got the clam chowder and it was delicious, genuinely best clam chowder I've ever had. The bread is also so crispy and good, we ate two loaves. Overall the restaurant is beautiful and I will be going back. read more

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What a disturbing restaurant, for 5 stars, I wouldn't give it one? I paid $225.00 for a bottler of wine and left starving. The grill exhaust fan had an issue, not my fault. I had appetizers and wine. I will never go back to this shithole again! The waiter was less than average, the manager had no customer service skills. There is no way this place should be rated at all !!!!!!!! read more

Came here for a business dinner recently I like the vibe of this place a lot more than your typical chain steak houses like Ruth Chris Morton's or capital Grille. You can tell this place has been a local institution for a long time for very good reason. The service was top-notch, super attentive, and the fillet I had was absolutely delicious. Sometimes fillet can be a little bland and flavorless but the kitchen did a phenomenal job of putting a nice sear on the fillet, putting a nice little bit of crunch and every bite. I apologize for not posting pictures of the food, but I think that's weird to pull up my phone to snap amongst a bunch of business contacts. Trust me when I tell you it's delicious. read more

One of the best steakhouses I have been to! A bit pricy but worth it! I'd recommend the prosciutto wrapped beacon, petite filet & the red bliss mashed potatoes! Their bread they give in the beginning is also so good with their butter. I asked for medium and they cooked it more on the rare side but they were super nice and took it back to cook it more! Every other time I've been has been cooked perfectly. Great service. If it's warm outside I highly recommend sitting outside in their patio. It is so well decorated and reminds me of being in Italy. Their desserts and drinks are also amazing! My boyfriend and I went for our anniversary last year and they are able to customize the menu and wrote "happy 2 year anniversary" for us that we were able to take home. It was amazing all around! read more

Old Original Bookbinders - 8 oz. Petite Filet Mignon - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Went here to celebrate my son's birthday. Price is expected. Food is always good! Drinks are great! Staff is always a treat from the hostesses to the waiters. Ambience is a romantic type of vibe. read more

Old Original Bookbinders - Personalized birthday menu - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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This is our second visit to this restaurant and it, again, was impressive. Our server, Cameron, was delightful - a perfect mix of funny, honest and attentive. The setting is beautiful and the dedicated parking makes this so easy. I loved the decorations as you walked in and all of the dark wood. The bar area is really pretty and the old fashioned that my husband had was very well made. For food we had the seared tuna appetizer, shrimp bisque and a wedge salad. All were really good. For entrees we had petite fillet, seared scallops and the special crab stuffed rock fish and the mashed potatoes. I have to say we were very impressed with the meal. For dessert we had the brownie a la mode which I found to be a little dry - my only small issue otherwise everything else was excellent. I was surprised by how crowded the restaurant was for a Monday night. read more

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This place has a wonderful warm & welcoming feel to it. It is clearly an historic building and the interior is magnificent - well worth the trip. We had a lovely meal here. I started with the Oysters Rockefeller. While the oysters were plump, there was too much juicy spinach and very little cheese. For my main course, I had the Herb-Crusted Swordfish. I rarely order swordfish because it's usually too dry, but they did a nice job here. The 4 of us shared sides of Garlic Mashed Potatoes (very good) and Asparagus (okay). My wife had a Crab Louie Salad that had quite a few lumps of fresh crab and was delicious. Come to this place for the ambiance & service, but be sure to bring 2 or 3 credit cards because it's wildly expensive. Nevertheless, this is a great place for a special meal. Food: 4 stars Service: 5 stars Ambiance: 5 stars Value: 2 stars Location: 5 stars read more

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We dined here for Christmas dinner. Made a reservation. Food, drinks and service were amazing. Food was so good, my husband ordered an additional 3 course meal lol. Beautiful Christmas tree at the entrance. Family took a holiday picture before leaving! First time dining out for dinner and Bookbinders was a wonderful experience for the family. We will be back.. thank you for making it so special for us! read more

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Bookbinders is one of those restaurants that should be a go-to for special occasions . It's consistent, it's delicious, and there's not one thing on the menu that will disappoint. The leather booths are comfortable, the lighting is romantically dim, and the exposed red brick is cozy. I always start with a ' old fashioned OR a Manhattan . Warm bread and butter and a wedge salad start the meal. The wedge is everything you could want: blue cheese crumbles, bacon , diced tomatoes, and heaps of rich dressing. This place is my go-to birthday or ultra special occasion splurge for one main reason- the Ḷöḅṡẗëṛ . There aren't many places in Richmond that you can get lobsters over 3.5 lb . (Tip: Don't get it de-shelled- half the fun is cracking it open!) We always order shared sides of (veggies are important ) and . Don't miss the for dessert- it's creamy, the perfect amount of sweetness, and the crunchy torched top is absolutely amazing. read more

We had another excellent dinner at Bookbinder's last night. The service was top-notch, and the food was cooked and presented exactly as ordered. When one of the entrees I ordered was sold out, our waiter apologized profusely, and proceeded to give us a detailed description of similar choices. The "second" choice was delicious, and then he comped dessert because the first choice wasn't available.. I told him that wasn't necessary, but he insisted. It's a class act with great food and ambiance. read more

Went here to celebrate my friend's birthday and it was way bigger than I expected! The inside felt very classy and had dim lighting. We had already made reservations so we got seated quite fast. They gave my friend a personalized menu that said Happy Birthday with his name on it and I thought that was such a unique touch to the restaurant! Our server was very attentive and knowledgeable on everything on the menu. We ended up getting the lobster mac and cheese, the cowboy ribeye, and the stuffed salmon! I usually get steak whenever I go to a nice place, however, I decided to try something new and I was NOT disappointed! The stuffed salmon was the best salmon I've ever had and the highlight of the food. I also got to try my friend's ribeye and I wasn't that pleased. I think it was charred too long, giving it a burnt taste. The lobster mac and cheese however was really good! Great overall experience. read more

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We came here Saturday night to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday. As special as this occasion is, we don't expect royal treatment but atleast the bare minimum, especially for the price I paid. I'm talking about not getting a refill for water, having to point out that the diet coke needs a refill towards the end of the dinner because the server never even looked at the empty glass and having to wait for so long to even know who our server was. I won't mention his name here but I ask management to have a word with the server who took care of the table under my reservation, Saturday at 8pm. Mind you, there were tables but it was NOT that busy, definitely not if he kept on going back to the table that ordered alcohol. I still was polite about it but he keeps on giving excuses why he could not tend to us right away. Thankfully the entrees we ordered were good, but I have to say I regret spending $200 for such service, it's unacceptable. It took away the enjoyment of the experience, celebrating a birthday at that. read more

Yes it is the real deal from Philly. Need I say more? Steak, bisque Lobster. Excellent read more

Loved this place. The ambiance, welcoming at the door, staff was great and the food was absolutely delicious. Highly recommend! read more

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Atmosphere is nice for a special night out or a business meeting. I had Crab stuffed Salmon and the shrimp bisque. For pure food experience I would choose somewhere else. read more

Old Original Bookbinders - Crab stuffed Salmon - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Perfect place for a special occasion or treat-yourself dinner! The steaks are perfectly cooked as I want them to be: crisp outside yet pink/juicy inside. Oh and don't forget about their happy hour at their bar! It's a great deal to try all of their appetizers. I especially enjoyed Seared Tuna and Oysters Rockefeller. Only downside is steaks and lobsters are a bit pricy and sides are not included in the price. If you aren't concerned about the price, make sure you try their sides!! The lobster Mac and cheese and roasted Brussels sprouts are always amazing with the steak. read more

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I've been to Bookbinders a few times and have had good experiences. This restaurant is in my neighborhood and features a lovely courtyard and friendly service, but the pricing is what keeps me from coming back more often. I don't mind a spendy meal, but in my opinion, the prices are on the very high end for RVA and not warranted given the food quality. We can walk to other high-end restaurants in the area, have a comparable meal, and spend far less than what we spend when we go to Bookbinders. Don't get me wrong, the food is good, but it's not amazing. If I'm going to spend $40-$60 on a steak in Richmond, I'd rather go to another fine-dining restaurant where I know I will be blown away by a truly phenomenal steak. The Kona Coffee Crusted Filet at Bookbinders is good, but it simply does not compare to Lemaire's unbelievable filet or L'Opossum's iconic Beef Swellington, with the latter being about $10 less expensive than the aforementioned Bookbinder's steak. What will keep me coming back to Bookbinder's on occasion is the courtyard patio. This beautiful patio is one of my favorites in Richmond. I love the old brick and and the koi pond with waterfalls. It is picturesque and romantic. It's such a lovely patio for a date night. The owner, John, is also extremely personable and friendly. He is very involved with his customers, and I sincerely appreciate his attentive nature. Last time we were there, John took our picture, gave me food to feed the koi, and took the time to tell us more about the restaurant. He's really great. Everyone is a VIP at Bookbinder's thanks to John. He takes personal responsibility for making sure his guests enjoy themselves and it shows. I do enjoy this restaurant and will be back, but I'd come back more often if the food was outstanding or the prices were more competitive. read more

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Come hungry. The food is phenomenal, you won't want to stop despite your stomachs protests. We ordered 3 appetizers and two entrees with two sides....that we couldn't finish. My dress would have popped at the seams. The food was perfectly seasoned, crisp, and obviously very fresh which is pivotal for seafood. The only dish I could have done without was the escargot (which I normally love) as they were a bit overdone and the buttery flavor was lost. The filet was divine, crispy salty exterior and buttery tender interior, paired with crab cake left nothing to desire. Our waiter, Joe, was one of the best we've had in the world. read more

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Great food. Great space & Great people! Love this place! Food is amazing. We usually have our Work Holiday parties here!

Date night started at the bar. The drinks were great. When we were seated, I was impressed by the decor/architecture...really cool space. It took a bit too long for the server to take our drink order, but she wasn't invisible. She'd pop by every few minutes to bring water and tell us she'll be right back. I ordered the Barboursville Chardonnay from the wine list. After 5 min, she came back to say they don't have it. That was the last/only bad thing that happened. Food was pretty good. Calamari was....well it's calamari. The rockfish special was amazing. I'd get it again and again. The pan seared chicken breast was about as good as a chicken breast can be served. I'd prefer to give Bookbinders a 4.5 out of 5, but a 4 would be too low. read more

**4.25 Holiday cheer was in no shortage inside this space for dinner after viewing the nutcracker. From the Christmas tree to the nice man taking photos for guests. Service was friendly, accommodating and ever present. Cocktails were delicious. I even had a nice pour of Weller Special Reserve as a night cap! All appetizers hit the spot, particularly the tuna. Now, the one I was most excited about was the biggest let down, the snapper soup. I've had soups of this style numerous times before and this particular iteration is lacking substance. It was creamy and delicious yet was missing the contents of the turtle itself. Much like a clam chowder has bits of chewy clams this should have bits of turtle, and it didn't. Needless to say, it didn't live up to the "world famous" name tag. It's a steakhouse after all and my cowboy ribeye didn't disappoint. It was a perfect medium rare, tender, juicy, etc. and the horseradish sauce on the side set it off just right. All in all a great experience here. read more

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If ever I had to choose one place to call my favorite restaurant in Richmond, VA it is Old Original Bookbinders. I absolutely love this place. Whenever I wish to actually spend some money on a special occasion I always want to come here. Their escargot is my absolute favorite appetizer on the menu. Love their steak with the sauce, the lobster, and their asparagus. I would highly recommend stopping by at least once if you're a RVA local. You wont regret it. Sincerely. read more

Old Original Bookbinders - Escargot - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Their happy hour is amazing and affordable. Every small plate and glass of wine that we have tried the multiple times we have visited it was amazing. The service was very personable and welcoming. I would definitely recommend it. read more

We split the porter house. Sides are extra but the lobster Mac and mashed potatoes were really good. Clam chowder was also good. The dark chocolate pate was really good as well. They were definitely busy and would have liked our waiter to come to the table more. Also the parking was full and we had to wait for someone to leave to finally get a spot. Nice attire for this restaurant read more

Old Original Bookbinders - Dark chocolate pate - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

From appetizer to entrée, we experienced quality food and good service. We had stuffed mushrooms, half dozen of fresh oysters and Caesar salad at the beginning, then dig in to our main entrees. The Beef was tender, asparagus was soft and the dessert was fantastic too! I gave only 4 starts because the entree was Not with any side dish. One steak simply costs $62! It is a bit too pricey. If you go, average cost might be $100! It was good but I think there are so many other good steak houses around, so we might choose others next time. read more

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Very nice oysters at the bar...quite LARGE and quite FRESH. No sand or shell. Superb. Convo was light but common. No one was eating in silence read more

First, the best thing about this restaurant is that they let you personalize the menu for special occasions, which is super sweet. Second the food was delicious. The scallops were seated perfectly. The steak was cooked and flavorful. The service was amazing and the drinks are good. The restaurant the Decour is kind of outdated, but it has a good vibe overall and I say this because it's like a picture of all the presidents of the United States and who wants to look at that while they are eating. read more

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Amanda was a great server. The food was outstanding. Will definitely be back next time I'm in Richmond.

Overall a very nice place to go for a night out. Few complaints; starting off with over cooking the oysters rockerfeller, ordering a medium well steak and getting a rare steak. It had great flavor so luckily I was able to reheat it at home. The staff was very attentive and nice. The drinks were amazing and the bartender had a heavy hand (in a good way) the wedge salad was also delish! I would recommend this place for starting the night with their drinks! read more

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I hosted a company banquet here. We reserved their outdoor patio space which is a really awesome venue especially at night all lit up. The food was good, not great, lacked innovation. Having said that, the steaks were good quality and the crab cake was very meaty. Sides were on point. But no unique flavors or "I've got to come back for this" dishes. Our server seemed a bit overwhelmed, even with our pre arranged abbreviated group menu. But we had a good time. Better food at LeMaire or Lillie Pearls but the ambience here esp the courtyard is top notch. read more

Old Original Bookbinders - Seafood Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

My weekly go-to place! John is amazing and the staff makes you feel welcome every time we visit.

Little underwhelming. Staff was awesome. Friendly and fast. The place is bigger than it looks but nice inside. Expect to drop a couple of hundred for two people. Got the 18 oz Cowboy steak. Pretty small for 18oz. I eat a lot and cook a lot of steak, I assume they counted the weight of the bone as part of the 18oz. Not a lot of flavor. Wife got filet medium rare. More medium cooked. Again these are $40 each steaks. Expecting a bit more flavor and cooked correctly. Sides are extra. So 1 steak. 1 side. Looking at close to $60. Or server was great. He was very friendly and helpful. Drinks were great. Dessert was great. Overall pretty good but the steaks don't match the "high end" price. Couple other places in Richmond that have better cuts of meat for a little less in price. Might try again but not in a hurry to drop $180 for just OK food. read more

This was a lovely night for the most part. I was here to celebrate my 34th birthday over the weekend and my boyfriend proposed so it made it for a lovely fancy night. The personalized menu was very nice... although it was at my friends seat. I didn't even know about it until she showed me. I would recommend they ask where the birthday person is sitting... but no big deal. The crab cakes were out of this world delicious as well as the oyster Rockefeller! The steak was just okay. Expensive but just okay. I got the New York strip Oscar style. The lump crab meat was top tier! The sides are a la cart to share. Mashed potatoes, creamed spinach, and lobster Mac n cheese were delicious!! The creamed corn was not. It seemed kind of overcooked so it wasn't eaten. The calamari was overcooked as well. The texture was rubbery and didn't seem fresh. The staff was amazing. Our waiter Israel went above and beyond to make sure we were happy. The owner allowed us to use the private room because we had an additional guest come. But it wasn't offered when the reservations were made. I'm not sure what qualifies you to get that room while booking. It was a little sad that the air conditioner was broken the night we were there. The staff apologized a number of times but... the air was still out of service. The bathroom had a few of the toilet paper holders broken off of the wall and the pieces were all over the floor. A hour later when I went to the restroom again, the broken pieces were still on the floor. In my own opinion, Bookbinders is an experience place. I have a lifetime memory that I will not forget but I'm not sure if I will go back or not because the entrees were just okay. Most of the sides were delicious but I wasn't blown away how I thought I would be. read more

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