The Broadberry

I went to The Broadberry for a music concert. The Broadberry is a decent size venue for shows. Fans are able to get a good view of performers even if you’re near the back. The sound system was clear. Its televisions throughout to keep up on sporting events. There is a patio area if you want to go outside. Drink prices were reasonable. I didn’t try food here. If an artist you like is coming to The Broadberry, definitely check out this venue. The Broadberry bring in some good artist to perform (check website). I was able to find street parking. This venue is music fan friendly unlike some larger venues. The Broadberry is a good place to enjoy a music concert.

My biggest complaint is the $ 3.80 service fee they charge to buy tickets online. Ticketfly is a ripoff.

With so many great options for live music in Richmond, it’s hard to stand out as «the best.» Obviously, The National is the largest, but it’s far from my favorite. The Broadberry may be just that venue. It’s clean, spacious and brings a wide variety of acts to the stage.
The former site of a gay night club, some may not enjoy the layout, which boasts a huge bar and dining area at the front of the entrance, and and open pit area towards the rear. They also have an elevated seating area that runs along the side, but honestly, who sits at a rock show?
The food is quite good as well, reasonably priced with some interesting options to choose from. There is an outdoor patio for patrons who smoke and two TVs inside so you can see the stage even if you’re not up close. Definitely worth checking out if your favorite band comes through. A

This is such a cool venue. They’ve got chandeliers, wicked art on the walls, and most importantly the acoustics here are the bomb. All the staff were nice and it wasn’t hard getting to a bar tender– it really helps that they have 2 self-​serve water stations. Dig it.
BUT what’s with the placement of the bathrooms? The show I went to wasn’t crowded, but I bet when it’s packed trying to get to a bathroom near the front of the stage is a PITA. Also I thought the patio was pretty except I couldn’t enjoy it with all the smokers around. Oh well.

Went to Broadberry for the first time Saturday night. I believe it’s only been open a year now. Here are my observations, as well as info I would have liked to have known…
Some have mentioned the Broadberry is across from the Science Museum and DMV. It’s actually a few blocks further down W. Broad Street… across from the CVS & McDonald’s… very near the Broad & Boulevard intersection.
As you might expect, the parking lot is fairly small so most people park on the side streets in the Fan (Mulberry, Grace, Robinson, etc.). I understand some people park in the Children’s Museum parking lot across the street too.
You can purchase your tickets online or at the door. When you purchase online, you pay a $ 3+ per ticket service fee. When you buy at the door, there is no service fee. But the price works out almost the same, since the cost to buy at the door on the day of the concert is a $ 4-​$ 5 more.
The most expensive way to buy tickets is online on the day of the concert, because you’d be paying an online service fee PLUS the day-​of-​concert markup. Not smart… unless you anticipate the concert selling out (most don’t).
I purchased my tickets online a couple days before the concert, not knowing for certain if I’d be going. Had I known there is no «service fee» for tickets purchased at the door, I would have waited and bought my ticket there. The total cost of tickets would have been about the same and if I couldn’t go to the concert, I wouldn’t be out any money.
As mentioned, the only time it makes sense to «maybe» buy tickets online is if you’re fairly certain the concert will sell out. The bouncer at the Broadberry told me concerts seldom sell out, so odds are you’ll be fine to buy your ticket at the door.
I’m not sure of the capacity of The Broadberry, but I’m guessing 200 – 300. As concert venues go, it’s not that big of a place… sort of shaped like a tunnel… just 30 – 45 ft wide w/​a raised ceiling. The small stage is at the far end of «the tunnel» … as are the restrooms.
If you’re coming to The Broadberry, plan to stand all night because there’s only seating for maybe 50 people max, nearly all of it near the entrance, far from the stage (see diagram below). All seats & tables are back near the bar, and a few more along the raised area that runs the length of the «tunnel» on one side. (I believe the raised section is sometimes referred to as the VIP area, though it seemed to be open to anyone the night I was there.)
The bar has two large screen TVs showing the band performing, which is nice… you don’t miss anything when picking up a drink or hanging out at the bar.
Someone posted the bar pricing for beers & wine. I ordered a vodka tonic and it was $ 6. Came in a short plastic cup with lots of ice. Not a great deal, but probably about average for downtown. Service at the bar was quick & friendly. I saw on the menu board a 9-​inch pizza for $ 6. I didn’t order one, but sounds like a pretty good deal.
The complimentary self-​serve iced-​water dispenser at the end of the bar (complete with large plastic cups) is a nice, classy touch! Band merchandise is sold on tables nearby in the main entrance/​patio area.
I didn’t go on the patio. Mostly smokers out there, but looked nice.
As a couple people have mentioned here, the patrons at The Broadberry tend to skew older. When I was there, the demographic appeared to be mostly 40s-​60s! I was quite surprised… especially since it was a late performance. I suspect many/​most of the patrons live in the Fan. Just guessing.
The night I was there, it seemed like it was about 60% men and attire appeared to be mostly jeans and T-​shirts. Saw a few guys in shorts. Some in collar shirts, but not many. As the evening wears on, you’ll likely be bumped into periodically by drunk patrons moving/​staggering through the crowd on their way to get another drink or to use the restrooms, which are oddly located next to the stage.
Acoustics at The Broadberry are pretty good and, given the relatively small size of the venue, you see the band easily even from way back in the bar area. I thought I might need to bring ear plugs, but as it turned out, the sound wasn’t too loud… just right… though I assume that may differ to some extent, based on who’s performing.
I think there’s a dance floor in front of the stage, but as near as I can tell, it’s not used for dancing except maybe by patrons who happen to be standing on it.
The first band typically starts at 8 or 9 pm, and the headliner band doesn’t start until about 10 or 10:30 and wraps up around midnight. Doors don’t open until one hour before the first band.
I’ll upload a crude sketch I did of The Broadberry layout. I’m not an architect or engineer — nor do I play one on TV — but hopefully this will provide some idea of what to expect. I liked The Broadberry more than I thought I would, though standing for 3 – 4 hours is tricky… especially if you’re on a date.

I played at this venue and as a music venue it is pretty good. There were some issues with the sound but the space was excellent and the staff was nice.
Foodwise, I ordered a simple grilled cheese & fries… but it took a half hour to get to me despite it being early in the night and not crowded and I was a performer who needed to eat. My mates were similarly waiting a long time. The GC itself was smallish and certainly nothing special but with few options for vegetarians i went with it.
They had some excellent and hoppy local beers in the place, which was good. Overall, I found the staff to be very friendly, despite the slow service and a few issues with the sound. My rating is for the venue and restaurant combined. I would play here again but probably wouldn’t bother to order food again.

This bar was nice, used for a Unilocal event. The atmosphere was dark but laid back. They have a nice big bar with all the guilty pleasures. I will have to come back on a regular night to check them out.

Attended my first Unilocal event here last week! The Soirée was great! Lauri T. did an excellent job! There were so many food vendors, and the ones I tried were delish! The music was fantastic and so were the dancers and aerialists.
We sat at the bar and had a drink while we checked out the food and people-​watched. The bar staff was very friendly and the drinks were priced well.
The layout of the Broadberry is interesting. A long rectangular shape. I’m curious to see what the layout is for other events, as I’ve never been here before. The outdoor patio looked like a great place to hang out. They had a photobooth set up for the event, which was fun.
Lots of fun and entertainment!

(3.5 stars)
Broadberry is a club on the Broad. You’ll notice Broadberry with its painted black walls, posters, a few smokers outside.
The age range that frequents this club is wide. 18 year olds, a few college kids, but mostly 40 – 50 year olds. I felt pretty young here.
We went and saw NO BS! Brass Club and the show was fantastic, but a little short. The performance was about an hour. The stage is a bit small, and it was a bit hard to find a table.
Drinks are fine and food is standard bar food.

Excellent place to see live music up close. Sound is good and I like the layout. The bar staff was friendly and efficient and the place has a very good choice of beers at a reasonable price. I even ordered a bite to eat and it was ok as bar food goes. No complaints at all.

Probably the best music venue in town. Good space, great acoustics, friendly staff, tasty food and drink offerings all make for a great place to be for a concert.

Let’s just start off by talking about those chandeliers. Does it get more sexy?!
Enter The Broadberry and you don’t feel like you’re in Richmond. When I think of the Richmond «style», I think of us being a laid back people. We don’t need much in terms of nightlife. Just give us a place to get a craft beer, hear the top 40 hits, sweat our hair out dancing, and maybe stumble through some karaōke. Oh, and eat food. Good food. Have you noticed how good our bar food is in RVA? The Broadberry delivers on all of these fronts, but the chandeliers, black walls, uplighting, and fancy shmancy furniture also make you feel luxurious. Which, I mean, who doesn’t want to feel luxurious?
The bf and I went to see the DJ Williams Projekt here last night and OMG! First of all, the show was amazeballs. Those boys were on FIRE. I was in awe the entire time. Second of all, The Broadberry has phenomenal acoustics, amazing seating, and great food. Everyone there just wanted to get down, enjoy some good music, and have a good time in true RVA fashion. Between my boyfriend and I, we enjoyed a wine spritzer, beer, chicken and waffle fries, and veggie stirfry. It was all delicious and right on time (we were starving), but the standout was definitely my veggie stirfry. It was a burst of flavor with the perfect rice: veggies ratio.
There’s no better place to see a show in RVA. So go ahead, get spiffed up, and run to The Broadberry!

I’ve been here for two shows and both I had a great experience. The sound quality is excellent, and the place seems like an old place to have rock shows but I kinda like how fancy it is. They have an outside patio which in the summer or spring time would be a great place to chill and have a drink even if you aren’t there to see a show. The bartenders are very tentative and are nice too. I’ve never had their food but from the look at the menu a little pricey but sounds good. I feel like they should have more appetizer type food. Overall if you have a favorite band playing here go see them, you will have a great time!

Came here for a show last night, (SALSA!) band was great, the sound was great the they have a nice beer selection for a music venue. It’s a shotgun set up, stage is in the back of the venue, so if you want to see you need to worm your way up front unless you are tall because the floor is level. The stage is pretty significantly elevated, so that does help the shorties quite a bit (I’m 5’5″ and felt short at the show). I would go see music here again. We parked on the street behind the venue and didn’t have a problem. This stretch of broad street & some of the side streets are currently under construction, so that is kind of annoying.

First of all, there is a reason I didn’t give this place the 5 stars it deserves, and I’ll get to that later. Time for compliments.
This is the place that will bring down Canal Club. Ill say it again: this is the place to put Canal Club out of business. Terrific space for music. Perfectly executed in every fashion. I love this place. The beer selection is formidable… better than any other venue in town. Outdoor patio rocks, like I said everything is perfectly planned out.
The food? Amazing. Think elevated bar food. Candied bacon. Yes.
So why oh why does this place not get the full 5? The owner also owns the Camel, which is like six blocks away. I want both of the places to do very well and I feel like its not smart to put them so close together.

I’ve been to Broadberry for a few shows in the past couple months (headliners: Black Girls, Real Friends, Modern Baseball). They are moshing and crowd-​surfing friendly, but will not let you stage dive. Apart from that, Broadberry is my favorite Richmond venue to go to shows at. There’s plenty of room up around the stage. Even for the sold out shows I’ve been to I never had much of an issue seeing as long as I avoided getting stuck behind the obnoxious pole that sits in front of stage-​right.
They have free water up near the bar, so you don’t even have to try and bother a bartender to get some, which is great. This is the only venue I’ve seen that has offered that, and is a huge plus for me.
My main complaint is that when the shows are packed, getting to the bathroom is an absolute chore. The bathrooms are located almost directly next to the stage, so good luck getting there quickly if the crowd it thick. On the plus side, if you’re in the back and need to go to the restroom, by the time you get up there you should be able to see better lol.
I’m not a beer guy, so I can’t really comment on their selection, but I did upload the pic I took of their drink list on my first trip there (early/​mid November 2014), so you can take a look at that for yourself.

The Broadberry is an excellent venue to hear live music in Richmond. It’s large, clean and has a excellent sound system. There is plenty of room to dance or to sit back and listen to the music. The bands that the Broadberry books are all top drawer talent.
The Broadberry has a nice beer list featuring craft beer on tap and it offers a good menu of food items.
There is a large outdoor patio that is heated in the Winter.
The staff at the Broadberry are welcoming and provide top quality service.
I’ve waited a long time for a venue of this caliber to open in Richmond.

Great music venue, but the food… not so much. Service was great and staff were nice and hospitable.

Well, I kept on telling my friend, «I can’t wait to come back here when they’re more organized.» It was fascinating how out of sorts everything was in one night from beginning to end.
As a bar: There’s limited table service. Is there any table service? So you have to order food at the bar and then hope they remember you so that you can pick it up later. Also, it seems that they move the tables out of the way even before the kitchen closes. So, you’re left trying to eat chicken wings standing up. The VIP sections were roped off for that night’s VIPs. Really, they should be assigned for table service if they’re going to offer a full menu. The VIPs didn’t seem that interesting of people. They could have mucked around with the rest of us. To boot, the food was pretty underwhelming. Broadberry should concentrate on doing one thing really well on the menu and then promote the crap out of it.
They have a great selection of beers on tap. The wait staff were all very nice but perhaps need more training on how to service a large crowd. It was all very chaotic.
As a music venue: The bathroom is immediately off the stage, which makes going and coming a struggle. The stage is low to the ground and there’s no barrier. It would be very okay except that there is no seating anywhere near the stage. It’s usually better with such a low stage to have seating available. With so little structure, there was a lot of moving and shuffling and tall people standing in front of me. (Granted, that could be due how much tall people like to drink alcohol and forget about their surroundings.) Again, if you open up the raised VIP section to regular customers, this may alleviate some of those problems. Audience members could be closer to the stage but not feel like they were part of a clump.
The sound was really good for the size of the venue. And I was happy to see the security guards watching attentively. It seems like a small detail but an important one.

What a cute venue for a show! I drove from the Hampton Roads area of Virginia to see New Politics here on July 20^th. I didn’t really know what to expect. The area driving in seemed a little shady and we weren’t really sure where to park. (We ended up parking in the big parking lot for the museum across the street.) The area seemed like it was run down, but on it’s way up. I don’t know a lot about Richmond though.
We came early for a meet and greet and we ate dinner at a restaurant on the same street. We were thinking about getting dinner at the Broadberry before the meet and greet, but it didn’t look like it was open for a pre-​show dinner.
The meet and greet was at 6:30 and the doors opened at 7. There was already a line outside the venue when we arrived around 5:30.
We were so (pleasantly) surprised when we came inside. It is a small venue, but it is really classy and cute! They have a great patio on the side where the meet and greet was. It was really nice!
The whole place is really narrow and the stage is pretty small. It didn’t give the performers a lot of room to move around. It was nice that the pit goes right against the stage.
Everyone at this show was really respectful and there were all ages there. Security was great and things didn’t get too wild and out of control.
I really liked their beer selection and the staff was great too! I would definitely come to another show here. They also do beer tastings and fun events, not just concerts.