The Sidewalk Café

Great brunch spot! Get here early so you can get a table, otherwise you’ll be waiting forever for a table!

A true hidden gem in Richmond. Easily some of the best food in the city, great subs and appetizers. A favorite for brunch, but get there early I’d you want a table.

I couldn’t agree with Katie B’s review more. Ironically my boyfriend and I attempted to go to Sidewalk for our first date last year for brunch but there was such a long wait (very popular brunch choice!) So we went last night to celebrate our one year :)
We went around 7:45pm and there was absolutely no wait, since we were there so late we just decided to do a couple of appetizers but there menu is huge with lots of options for everyone and very reasonably priced. We got the buffalo chicken nachos that they had on special, first of all they were HUGE but they were so good, it was hard for us to stop eating them! We also got the calamari that came with marinara and taziki sauce and they were awesome as well! We both left stuffed and satisfied.
The service was great, friendly, and the environment was young, casual, and the place was busy for a Monday night!
The best part is they have a great happy hour form 3pm-​8pm. We definitely won’t wait a year to make it back to Sidewalk!

Why are your fries and steak salad so goooooood! I can’t stop! My original review still stands. I love everything on their menu. And when ordering to go lately the food has still been warm and the same quality and consistency as when dining in.

Came here for late night drinks and snacks and will definitely be back for dinner. The Greek nachos were amazing – high quality feta cheese and tzatziki sauce made them a winner.

The sidewalk sub is awesome! I try to get something else when I go here but I just can’t bring myself to do it! They have an excellent menu and a wide variety of things to get and I’ve never been with anybody who’s been unhappy with their meal. It’s a nice divey atmosphere and their happy hour goes till 8pm. If you’re in the fan and want good food and drinks check out sidewalk café it is definitely a gem in in the fan!

I was pleasantly surprised by this place. My wife and I arrived around midnight because it stays open until 2AM on a Sunday night. The atmosphere was relaxing and the music was very enjoyable. The waitress was attentive and helpful. I ordered the cheeseburger and my wife ordered the steak sub. The food was delicious and simple. The portions were large, and it tasted fresh. The fries were oddly VERY good. My only complaint is that the bathroom is very small and cold.

Great place to hang out and grab a drink. Very good food and a great variations of choices. Just came in for a few bites and drinks. Had Mozzarella and red peppers and chicken fingers and fries with some DELICIOUS BBQ sauce. Everything really hit the spot and the music was awesome! Every time i’ve been to this place they are always playing old and new stuff that brings me back or really is on point and new to me.

I went to Sidewalk Café for a quick meal with my mom. The restaurant was laid back during early dinner hours (weekday). We had some drinks and appetizers (chicken quesadilla & mozzarella sticks). Our drinks were prepared well and flavorful. Sidewalk Café chicken quesadilla and mozzarella sticks are tasty in my opinion. I would order each item again. Our waitress was very attentive and friendly. She did a great job staying on top of our table. Parking can be a hassle, depending on time and day. Sidewalk Café is a good local place to grab food and drinks. I will be back to explore the menu some more. I give Sidewalk Café a 3.5 rating on my first visit.

I have literally never had such terrible food and service. The food they brought out was a complete joke. Looked and tasted disgusting. The server was at the bar talking to some guy most of the time. The bartender was more aware of us, as he had to tell her we were waiting to order. Just an absolute joke all around. I could have literally paid a fraction of the price and had a better experience at McDonald’s. Which is very sad to say. This place needs to get its act together!

Great food and very fun atmosphere on Sundays! Edwina is the best! She will sing to you and buy you a shooter if its birthday, engagement, anniversary, etc. she’s the best and the food is very good! I always get the eggs edwina or the chicken parmesan sub, which are both amazing! Be prepared to stay awhile on the weekend because you won’t wanna leave!

I’ve been here several times, and the service is always great. The restaurant is always packed with sports fans and local regulars. The food is awesome and so are the drinks. Word of advice don’t bother if you’re looking for a quite restaurant, this isn’t it!

Can’t comment on the food as I didn’t eat there but I will say this is one of the most interesting and kind of cool bars in all of Richmond. I came in on a random Saturday afternoon and thoroughly enjoyed my visit.
The crowd was all over the place, in my couple of hours there, I saw a gay black man, a tattooed covered white guy with a long beard, a group of people in tuxedos and formal wear all in the same bar, it was amazing.
The staff was friendly, all the bartenders were friendly and accommodating and the ladies were definitely nice to look at.
One weird issue, they have Tito’s vodka paraphernalia on the bar but they don’t actually serve Tito’s, as a huge Tito’s fan this was quite the disappointment. The drinks I did have were strong and on the cheap side.
All in all, great place to kill time if you aren’t in a rush and want to just chill out in a nice environment with some cheap booze and cool people.

Love this place. A landmark. A must try at least once. I would give this place 4.5 out of 5, though, just because it gets very crowded and loud. Drinks are always strong and the food is always good. Highlights:
ANYTHING on their brunch menu. Some of the best bennies I’ve ever eaten ever. So. Good.
Pizzas always a good choice, and while its not amazing its not bad at all.
One of the best eggplant parmigiana in town. Try it.
SAGANAKI. HOLY SHIT THIS SAGANAKI. This version of the dish would be my last meal on earth. They take greek cheese (like feta and mozzerella had a baby flavor wise) and bake it, then douse it in 151 and SET IT ON FIRE. Then, as the fire burns down, they hand you lemons and you put out the fire with the lemon juice. Then you get sliced bread and slather it with the gooey melted cheese with the crispy top. Literally I know your mouth is watering reading this, I promise you im not kidding when I say youll love it.
This is a must go to place, but not the type of place to bring elderly.

Of all the times I’ve been to Sidewalk Café (probably 20ish) I can say that 90% of the time I’ve been pleased with everything from the service, to the food. The menu is so expansive that it is a great place to go with a group of people with different palettes. I, by far, have enjoyed the pastas. The portions are quite large (I always have left overs) and flavorful.
I only wish the space was a little larger to accommodate the high demands, especially for brunch. One Sunday, we waited as long as 30 – 40 minutes for a table, however, the mimosa pitchers will make it all better! Sidewalk will forever be my «go-​to» place when we are in the area and can not decide on a meal!

I would have given Sidewalk Café 2 stars because I have had much tastier brunch experiences, however the $ 10 mimosa pitchers bumped it up to a 3 star establishment. After hearing about the lively atmosphere and mimosa pitchers, we settled on The Sidewalk Café as our reunion brunch destination. When we arrived we surprisingly only had to wait for a few minutes before a table opened up.
We ordered a smörgåsbord of food and it was all just OK. There was nothing particularly special about it– just your standard brunch fare! For the record, there’s nothing wrong with that! The music and staff totally added to the atmosphere and 2 pitchers later, we were having a blast. We ended up staying here for 3 whole hours without noticing that the time was steadily slipping away from us. I’m happy to say that we were never rushed. I think we would all agree that this is a solid spot and we’d definitely come back!

I will always love Sidewalk. This is the place that my husband and I had our first date over 10 years ago and now we are able to take our kids to brunch. A restaurant that lasts that long and is good for so many occasions will always be exceptional in my book.
On this visit we took our kids to brunch with another family. Our wait was short even though the restaurant was full when we got there and they don’t have a ton of seating for 8 people but once we were seated our food came fast and the fun volume of the music was perfect to distract a whiny 4 year old (my daughter) as well as not allow other people to hear her. The pitchers of mimosas also helped me to not be as stressed about her being a little fussy this morning.
The food isn’t exceptional but still really good. They have a lot of options and it’s a win when they offer pitchers of mimosas. I’ve been there twice for brunch recently and we’ve had a rotation of the same waitresses that we love and just make brunch a party! I already can’t wait to go back!

While it may seem a bit dark on first impression, this is an excellent place to enjoy some spectacular offerings and stellar service.
Came here yesterday with a lady friend trying to round out my card for the «Richmond Burger Week» and I was surprised they had so many offerings. Turned out that I was not only there during Burger Week but also on their $ 5 burger night! It’s Burger-​ception!
It was a tough choice given all the great options on the list, though in the end I opted for The Godfather, a delicious burger served on a focaccia bun with marinara and fresh mozzarella on top. My friend ordered a sausage/​pepper pasta. She got a caesar salad included in the price of her pasta (which tasted fresh), and the warm bread they brought to our table was great too. Both of our entrees were spectacular, and the portions were extremely generous as well. Once I polished off my meal, I helped her work on her pasta and we still didn’t even manage to down half of it. Now those are portion sizes that make you want to say «‘Murica»!
Service was excellent and very attentive, with refills coming in fast and furious whenever they were needed. As a server/​bartender myself, I have to applaud them on their attention to this critical detail. Whether you’re a glass-​half-​full or glass-​half-​empty kind of person, no one likes an empty glass!
The bill at the end was more than reasonable given our fullness, though we did avoid alcohol so I can’t comment on that aspect. All in all, this place was quite a find and I’d definitely return to try some of their other unique offerings!
Overall: 4.5 stars
— — — — -
Pros:
— Tons of menu options.
— Food was excellent.
— Wednesday Burger Night makes it all so much more satisfying/​cheap.
— Service was quite good, though admittedly we did come slightly earlier than the dinner rush.
Cons:
— Inside is quite dark, though if you like that intimate dinner feeling this won’t trouble you much.
— Volume wasn’t too bad when we went, though I can see it being a problem during their peak business hours.

This unsuspecting light blue corner building houses an interesting culinary experience that entertains both the early-​morning brunchers and the late-​night drunchies alike. The menus are vastly different, however both are highly recommended for taste, quantity, and price.
1. Cajun hash and eggs ($ 8.25): a hefty plate of roasted potato quarters, whole shrimp, and two eggs topped with a layer of cheese and a side of toast. Taste would’ve been even better with a tad bit more cajun seasoning or sauce. Nonetheless, quite palatable and filling for a weekend brunch.
2. Spaghetti A La Greek ($ 11.95): a humongous plate of oodles of noodles and choice of marinara/​meat sauce. Um, yes, it’s huge enough to feed two with a case of the drunchies.
Service is good and the atmosphere lively with a row of benches alongside a well-​stocked bar. Bills are automatically split for ya (no need to «overwork» your brain trying to calculate it all out; after all, you’ll be in a food coma).

The Cajun Hash is delicious, and so is Edwina’s plate! My wife and I love coming here to have a nice breakfast, and adore the dimly-​lit bar atmosphere.
This place makes us feel at home in a city we barely know.
Edwina is a dear, and so are her servers! Awesome music. I’ve never drank here, but I’d like to try it. People can get a little rowdy, especially when you have a gang of young college guys in there– that’s the only downfall of the place, but I still give it a solid five stars, because Edwina makes them behave themselves!