This Friday date night found Carol, Carol's Mom Nancy and I at the Hippodrome Theater in downtown Richmond were we attend a play called "The Jury Experience" which apparently takes live theatre to the next level, as the audience becomes part of the show as jurors. As a member of the jury, we analysed witness testimonies, cross-examinations, and forensic evidence in a search for the truth. The case involves the accidental death of a pedestrian by an autonomous taxi vehicle and the subsequent man slaughter trail of the AI's developer. We the jurors voted using our phones along with QR codes concerning three key elements of the trail and finally to either convict or acquit. It was great fun however I wish the theater offered more comfortable seating!!! read more

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Spent part of the day doing final setup and now it's time to open the doors for the special event. Food was amazing and the staff made it seem easy for us to enjoy the venue! Consider this place for your next event! read more

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We went to "Jury Duty" it was fun There isn't really any food to speak of, just a small plate of finger food. There is a bar. The ushers and staff were very friendly and helpful read more

The Stallings know how to entertain and meet/exceed your every expectation. Excellent food, bar, and service. The ambience is so RVA with rich history and culture. read more

Unprofessional, Disrespectful, and Poorly Managed We booked The Hippodrome for a professional, high-level event and were shocked by the unprofessionalism and mismanagement from start to finish. If you're considering this venue for an important event, think twice. 1 Unsettling & Unprofessional Start From the moment we arrived, the venue owner made unnecessary comments about shutting down the event if things got "rowdy." Our event was a professional live recording, not a party, so the assumption that we might cause issues--especially as a group of young Black professionals--was offensive and completely misplaced. 2 No Staff Support When We Needed It After the owner left, the designated point of contact disappeared for most of the night. We needed lighting adjustments during our program, but for 30-45 minutes at a time, no one was available. I personally had to leave my own event multiple times just to search for staff. Even the bar was left unattended at times, leaving our guests confused and diminishing the quality of service we had paid for. 3 The Final Disrespect: Lights Cut During Our Recording At 8:10 PM, while our guest speaker, Daphne Maxwell Reid, was still in the room, staff suddenly started stacking chairs in the middle of the event. Completely unprofessional. Then, at exactly 9:00 PM, they turned on all the house lights with no warning--ruining our live recording. I later found the missing staff member hiding in the kitchen, controlling the lights from her phone. When I asked why, she claimed it was "policy" to turn the lights on at 9 PM--a policy that was NEVER communicated to us. 4 No Accountability, No Refund We spent thousands of dollars on this venue, plus an additional $2,700 on professional videography, only to have our recording compromised. When we reached out for a refund or even a discussion, we were flat-out denied with no acknowledgment of their mistakes. Final Verdict: Avoid If You Expect Professionalism If you're looking for a reliable, well-run venue that respects its clients--this is NOT the place. Their dismissive attitude and lack of professionalism completely ruined what should have been a high-quality experience. read more

Went to an event a few weeks back and all I can say is I hope I get the chance to go back for another event. We had about 150 people with our group. The food was buffet style and everything tasted great! The servers were quick to refill the food. Nothing ever ran out. As soon as anything got low they were already bringing more out. There was a DJ and the sound was great and he played everything we wanted to hear. They still had their Christmas decorations up (again this was a few weeks back) and between the lighting and decorations the room looked phenomenal. There was an open bar for our event. The bartenders were AMAZING!!! I think they only had three of them. Our group were pretty heavy drinkers and the bartenders were quick and just doing their thing. The longest I waited for a drink with the bar being busy was maybe 2 minutes and the drinks were on point. They looked like they had done this before. Again I really hope the event I attended will choose this venue again for the next event! read more

We held a celebration of life for my too young sister on 5/4/24. It was all she would have wanted and more. Ron Stallings made planning effortless, all of our wishes were done on time. The food was hot and ready on time, the servers kept everything spotless and replenished. Ron and his team made planning and executing an emotional event stress free. I highly recommend working with Ron and will always be grateful to him. read more

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the food is delicious and the service is on point. im from nola born and raised, and the food is perfect for my homesickness!

I went here for the Jazz Festival Thursday show after winning tix through Yelp. I was so excited and appreciative for the opportunity to see a great show at such a coll placeThe venue has a very classy look, and I was all about them re-opening, since the Hippodrome held a very special place in history for Richmond's black community. It was THE premier venue for black artists and black people back in my grandmother's time. Fast forward to now, however, and in this very up-and-coming, historic neighborhood, the new Hippodrome, despite its classy facade, is the antithesis of classy in management an execution. We arrived at 5:40 for a 6 o'clock show, since we had to go to will call. We, along with all of the other guests, were left standing outside until 6:15 in 90F plus, heat advisory weather. When I spend my time to get dolled up for a show, the last thing I want to do is get all sweaty and greasy from standing in the heat. People, I had sweat running down my legs it was so hot! All the while, the building doors kept opening and closing with staff going in and out, and the most we got was "We're sorry. We know it's really hot outside." As we were standing there, my mom told me that they pulled the same crap on her last visit there--they left guests outside and opened 15 min after the supposed show time. You know what the difference was? That time it was raining! The arrogant management did not care a drop about their customers. I can't convey how insulting that was. Never again. So we finally get in, and the sound was still being checked DURING the show. In talking screeching speakers at least 4 times. The speakers were offensively loud. It felt like an assault on my ears. They had the bass and amps up like it was a cheap hip hop club. This is jazz. Who plays jazz with bass so loud that it overpowers the vocals? Then, oh then, the drinks. My mom was served a Cosmo in a disposable plastic juice cup. My husband's rum and coke was at least in a real glass, albeit plastic, but it was the size of a baby juice glass. Then, when I went to the bathroom, the soap was that cheap pink soap at barely works, but it was terribly watered down. It was so bad that I literally wash my hands ten times, and they still didn't feel clean. Then the bar menu was like a kids meal--chicken strips, run-of-the-mill burger, and a fish sandwich, or fries. What on earth? In short, if you are still wondering, never again. read more

Ron is the worse person to deal with there. When I was at the event the staff were nice but the other guy Ron, No. The way he speaks to people is unacceptable. As a venue owner you should be pleasant and welcoming. He was not! All I wanted to know was one thing, could of been easily answered but instead he played victim as if I were yelling at him and was not. I do not recommend this venue for business. read more

This is perhaps the best place to host an event. A fairly large dance floor/seating area, balcony seating, bar, and a blinged-out stage complete with high-tech lights. Not sure what the cost is for renting such a stage, but I've got to hand it to the light and sound techs--they were professional and amazing. The servers were just as great as they zipped their way through swarms of people in order to replenish the buffet of food. Quite good--pasta, delicious meatballs, roasted veggies, and more. The place was clean and well-kept as far as I could tell. Parking is valet or street (had no problem finding street parking). All in all, I'd say try this place for your next theatric event. read more

The Hippodrome Theater - Inside - Music Venues Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Just left this place after what was the WORST "walk-through" that we have EVER endured. Mr. Ron Stalling was rude, insensitive , and at one point said "you know what, I don't want to do this anymore". Who says this?!? He was incredibly annoyed that I had my son (the groom) & his future wife on FaceTime so they could "see" the venue as we walked through. They are In Tennessee & asked us to view the venue with them on FT. Ron abruptly told me to turn the phone away from him b/c he "doesn't do Zoom, FT, video conferences", etc. Since when is this about Ron, and not the clients who have questions and are about to spend $9500 at his venue?? The insults continued for an agonizing 20min until we just couldn't take it anymore. If you're looking for a beautiful venue where the client is treated with respect PLEASE LOOK ELSEWHERE!! read more

So it's been a super long time coming, but I just realized I never reviewed this place from long back when, AND there's only a few reviews, so they could use it. I still remember having so much fun here. It's a classy way to enjoy appetizers, dinner, or drinks and do a little dancing minus the yucky bumping and grinding that takes place in a club scene. It's definitely for those in the 30+ club. It would make a lovely date night and I understand they rent the space for events as well. Beautiful interior. Enjoy! read more

I went to the Hipp for the inaugural RAW artists event and had a pretty good time. Fine art, dance, singing, music, fashion... and of course cocktails! The bartenders at the Hipp are nice and will happily fix your drink if they don't make it to your liking (made my martini extra dirty when I wanted it extra dry). Fun drink list with martinis named after performing artists (Lena Horne, James Brown, Duke Ellington...). Spacious, beautiful venue right on 2nd Street in the heart of Jackson Ward. read more

Just went to an event this past weekend. Very impressed. Heard good things, but going was different. The service was excellent, food and drink good, and the ambiance was amazing. I asked the owner for a tour, and he was happy to oblige. I can see why. The place gets more historic as you go deeper, and he had a fancy bar that swung open into an old speakeasy. Historic decor, historic pictures, down to the high rent 20's? style bathrooms. The owner referred to each party space/private club area like it was a mission, and I thought nobody would take on this type of risk for any other reason. I've seen the old theater front, but once I got through this maze of party halls, I felt I'd roamed the entire block. This place appears to do well, but Richmond is the beneficiary. read more

So where do I start. So the wedding of a lifetime well that's what we was going to. So the rehearsal was on Friday evening. Everything was good til they schedule the venue to another wedding party at the same time. So they for tried to rush our rehearsal because they scheduling issue. So the owners come out clapping. Express themselves as a way dog saying we have to go. So Saturday we show up and they are not set up. They do not cater to the bride and groom. It's just was a horrible experience if u ask me and I have been in other wedding. But I would never support not us this venue read more

The venue itself looks very nice but the owners might be the worst people i've ever met in my life. Sparkling from the outside, but once you actually experience being in this venue you see the truth. The servers were very nice however I could clearly hear and see be owners screaming at staff. I will never come back to this sad excuse of an establishment read more

***Wedding Venue Review*** This place is beautiful. I knew I wanted to get married here as soon as I walked in. I was looking for a unique place to get married and have a reception and this multi-room theater was it. It has a very Richmond-feel to it, and it should with the historical roots that this building has. The recent renovation has made this theater an elegant throwback to the Jazz age. Now that the planning is done and the big day has taken place, there's a few things to consider. My husband and I had a blast on our wedding day. Our guests had a blast on our wedding day. I probably would not have changed much about it. The food was amazing. The staff was pretty good at handling the demands of my wedding guests during the evening. The problem is that working with my designated "coordinator" was a nightmare. It was one of the most stressful relationships I have ever had to maintain and I work in the hotel industry, so that's saying something. In the execution of my vision for the big day A LOT of major details were ignored or not followed through. I'm not going to list all of them, but there were a lot and they were MAJOR details (*ahem* mid-shelf vs top-shelf liquor for the open bar). Everything related to customer service was completely lacking. I honestly was not sure if the person had developed a disdain for me personally or if they just had no idea how to be a coordinator. Let me reiterate that I had a great time at my wedding (even though I had to go to the bar to get my glass of champagne for the champagne toast!), and so did my guests, but based on their failure to adhere to and implement basic details that were orally and contractually agreed upon I cannot, in good conscience, recommend this venue to anyone (they booked the groom's waiting room for a dinner party even though they told us it was available to us?! When the groom and his men arrived they then tried to stick him in a small, stuffy room behind the stage!) read more

Perfect Experience! My boyfriend made the mistake of telling me that one of the movies he always regretted not seeing in theater was Terminator two. He told me this when we were 28 and I spent the next two years looking for an affordable venue in richmond to make that happen. I called the bow tie, the byrd, and every other generic theater in town and they all took forever to get back to me and then said I would have to pay 1000$, 800$ 1500$, 600$, and at my current salary that is simply too much. Then I attended the Kitchen confidential 2 talk at the hippodrome and instantly fell in love with the venue. I emailed them and within 24 hours they got back to me. I met with them a short time later and told them what I was looking to do and they shared my excitement about the event. We planned the date and time and they took care of the details. It was amazing. I told my boyfriend that we were going to brunch. (that was an idea the event coordinator had) When we got there she told us that brunch in the main dining area had been booked for a party but that they would be happy to seat us next door. (all a part of the plot) When we went next door they had changed the marquee to say "The Hippodrome Welcomes Amanda and David for Terminator 2" when we got inside there was a cozy couch and two tables, popcorn, whatever we wanted to drink and they had the kitchen make us whatever we wanted on the menu! They also made us two custom tickets for the occasion. They also showed us the whole theater on a tour and showed us the old projection rooms and film reels. I don't think I will ever forget that day. If I ever have an event in the future I will most assuredly use them again. It was great. read more

We had a two-day corporate event at The HIPP and it was amazing. Ron Stallings wowed us with a tour and we immediately booked the space. As we were planning the event, he was upfront, informative, and responsive, which any event planner will agree are things you NEED from your event rep. They served us breakfast and lunch as well as some snacks and every guest I spoke to raved about the food. I mean RAVED -- the fish, the chicken, the vegetables, the breakfast quiche, it was all amazing. The actual space is a dream - a large auditorium for presentations with a balcony, a screening room for more intimate meetings and events, and two "bridal" suites for smaller needs (we used them for our nursing mothers). The staff was attentive and present, and whenever I had a question (which was often), Ron was available and helped ASAP. We had a happy hour in The Speakeasy and guests loved the intimacy of the room. On top of the actual space being great and the service being top notch, the history of the building and Jackson Ward is so important and fascinating. Supporting a theater that has contributed so much to African American history in Richmond and nation-wide was a huge incentive to work with them. read more

I've been to two events at The Hippodrome. It's such a unique space that is great for events and weddings. They have a stage and bar and lots of dinner seating. Navia G. described it best as an "elegant throwback to the Jazz age." The last time that I went we were ushered next door to the speakeasy venue for a reception prior to our event. This space was smaller than the theater with a piano and bar and lots of older decor that had been renovated. Both events that I've attended have had valet parking and coat check which has always been very convenient. read more

The way Ron Stallings treated my friend and her wedding party on the weekend of what was supposed to be the best day of her life was absolutely ridiculous. He was ABSOLUTELY rude and disrespectful the whole entire weekend. He was passive aggressive, purposely annoying everyone. First of all, please keep account of how many people actually eat at your event, because my friend got charged over $1000 more because they said more people ate, yet they never had to get more plates than what was put out, so what were these extra people fed on? Their hands? While in the middle of decorating the venue, instead of politely saying that we ran out of the allotted time, he rudely says "YALL NEED TO GET OUT". Don't count on the venue to uphold their word. My friend asked multiple times thru email about when she should drop the napkins off to be folded by the staff, and was told to bring them the day of the rehearsal. On the day of the rehearsal, we were then told, oh I don't have the staff for that, they should have been dropped off sooner, just use the ones we have on the table, which did not match the decor at all. Therefore, I had to sit up all night and fold 150 napkins. The tables are old and several of them sit on a slant. When he rudely told us to get out, we had been asking for a broom to sweep up the particles left from us decorating, he told us they would clean up before the wedding, when I returned for the wedding, the same trash was still all over the floors. My friend paid for the bridal suite. The bridal suite bathroom did not have hot water in the sink, nor could we use the shower because it was used as a storage for the venue hiding old TVs and other garbage. She was supposed to have access to both suites, but they said the other suite was locked and not ready. After Ron Stallings was being such a jerk, he also walked around LOUDLY whistling Zippedy Doo Da the whole entire time we were there trying to decorate the venue over and over again, purposely trying to irritate us. After he rudely told us to get out, he then said get out now, or HE, and points to the groom who was working on getting the slide show together, is gonna be charged $250. Even though no one was using the venue in between the time we left and the wedding started. So after we told him we would pay the $250 for the extra hour just so we could finish, we went on Whistling loudly again. He had an attitude every time he asked for something that the venue was supposed to provide. He stomped up and down the stairs like an infant when he had to get whatever we asked for. My friend and her husband are both High ranking officers in the United States Army and have definitely earned the right to be treated with dignity and respect . I wouldn't recommend this venue to my worst enemy. No one deserves to be treated the way this man treated my friend and her very calm and mildly mannered husband. Anyone else would have went off on Ron Stallings, but they both remained calm. Make sure if you are going to use this venue, which I high recommend that you don't patronized these extremely rude people who want your hard earned money, keep all email traffic and promises and receipts. Also count your people yourself. They will try to claim more people ate and charge you more money, yet the food you paid for, the remainder of it was taken to the back and who knows who ate the rest of the food that your money paid for. For the amount of money they charge to have my friends wedding, no one deserves to be talk to or treated the way my friend and her husband and guest were talk to and treated. read more

Last weekend I got married at The Hippodrome Theater in Richmond. I am confident that my 120 guests would tell you it was one of the best weddings they've ever attended. The theater is amazing! I live in Texas now and planned the entire event, ceremony and reception, from Texas. I made one quick visit to the theater in June. We picked this venue for its uniqueness and charm as well as the fact that its a music venue and music at our wedding was very important. The sound and lighting for our band was incredible! Once the tables were set and the lights were dimmed it looked absolutely beautiful! Way beyond my expectations based on a quick afternoon visit. It looked elegant and didn't need much beyond a simple centerpiece. The theater and the lighting in itself set the perfect ambiance. Since this was all planned from Texas it took a lot of communication with the venue owner, Ron. Ron was nice, friendly, easy to work with, very responsive, timely, and a pleasure to work with. He helped me create and execute exactly the vision I had for my wedding day! I can't say enough about how wonderful and perfect of a venue The Hippodrome Theater truly is for a wedding or special event. I hope to throw a 10 year anniversary party back in this same spot. If asked what would I have done differently there are only two things that come to mind... 1. Have a helper/coordinator that is not a wedding attendee, family member or friend. Ron suggested this to me a couple times and I decided I didn't need it. Every thing went great anyway however I think you will feel so much better to know you have someone who knows exactly how you want things to go and can handle anything that may arise so you or your friends/family don't have to worry about anything. Little things got missed but nothing major and no one would know this except me because I forgot to mention it to anyone. 2. Buffet. Ron also suggested this but for some reason I had the idea that buffet would be too "picnic" like and not formal enough. The room was so beautiful that it would not have made a difference in that regard. A buffet would be faster and easier for the staff which means more time on the dance floor. The food will stay warmer longer as its hard getting that many people served and lastly less work for you in making sure the venue knows who is sitting where and eating what. I hope this helps in making your decision on a venue! My guests could not get over how incredible this venue was and I am so happy I found it! Wouldn't have wanted my wedding anywhere else! read more

OMG! What an amazing experience- excellent staff - excellent cuisine. So many things to try but catfish and the crab was succulent and worth taking home to brag about. The atmosphere and wine selection allowed us to relax and experience the essence of southern food, good music, and good company. Next time I'm in town I have already ear marked the gumbo and the southern apple pie. Amazing read more

I needed a nice space for a special event. I was told via the events line, that they were booked for the whole month. I ended up visiting in person being in the area, and it was not true at all. Ron was excellent in showing and dazzling us with everything offered. I was prepared to book the event at the Speakeasy. From there I was re-directed to a very unprofessional sales representative who never returned any calls, emails, or messages. After 2 days, I called the main number. After no answer or return call, I called from a blocked number to have someone pick up, breathe, and hang up. Instead of chasing a bad situation, I booked on to the Cultural Arts Center where their team goes above to care and assist with your event needs. Maybe I could make sense of it if I were not a total stranger, or if I had no intention of renting the space or purchasing their services. Oh well...! read more

we just had an event at the Hipp-- the staff was terrific-- friendly, took great care of us usually before we knew what we wanted or needed! Food fresh very tasty creative something could happily eat every day. We were very well taken care of. Look forward to going again. read more