Alewife

The pictures are Fried catfish and Skate Wing. We also had oysters and Smoked fish dip for starters. I didn't remember to take pictures, we had eaten them beforehand. Everything was cooked to perfection. I will come again. This was a pretty birthday celebration for me!

Great location, genuine crowd, fantastic food. Can't ask for more! I had their sweet pepper and ceviche special, as well as the skate wing. Both were phenomenal. My partner got the fish sandwich and said it was one of the top 5 sandwiches of their entire life. Our cocktails were delicious. We made a reservation a day before but called to see if it could be moved earlier. The hostess was incredibly friendly and gave us a couple of options. 10/10 will come back again!

Alewife is the perfect place for a slightly elevated evening out! The food is delicious and the atmosphere is laid-back but clean and slightly elevated. It’s a nice quiet spot for a really good meal. We got the clams as a starter then I got an oyster Poboy. Everything was absolutely amazing.

A friend of mine and I were looking for places to get oysters. I had heard of Alewife being touted as one of the better "foodie" restaurants in Richmond. And that is absolutely true. They are located in Church Hill, so parking can be a little dicey but it’s one of the best neighborhoods for an after-dinner walk. Food: 5/5 - absolutely excellent. We shared a dozen oysters, which came with a spicy yuzu sauce that was incredible. They rotate menu items and sauces. My friend ordered the scallops for dinner and I ordered the skate wing, which came over a Korean-inspired stew. We had their take on a sticky toffee pudding for dessert which was also excellent. The flavors were like nothing I had had before. If I could rate higher than 5 I would. Service: 5/5 - Also excellent. I had never eaten skate before, and our server gave me instructions on how to properly eat it. Servers were kind and attentive. No notes! Atmosphere: 4/5. There’s nothing particular special about the decor. Chairs are metal, tables are wood. It’s not trying to be pretentious. I will certainly be back!

Rustic and delicious dishes that excelled on basic points and sheer tastiness, and still managed to be surprising and mind-expanding in subtle but noticeable ways. The gnocchi was perfectly cooked, supple and pillowy on the inside, just a bit crispy and toasted on the outside. The combo of blue cheese and candied pecans was mind blowing a a sauce. Oysters were huge, fresh and clean tasting, adorned by understated but surprising flavors. Italian in spirit, but Virginia in its fine details. Truly excellent.

One of the best restaurants in Richmond. I could eat those poached rock shrimp, fried clams, and tilefish every day and be happy. Cocktails were interesting and well-balanced too. I was also able to get a reservation at fairly short notice, which is always a plus. I’m hungry again just thinking about it!

Overall had a decent experience. Really enjoyed the atmosphere and the food was delicious. Our waiter seemed disinterested in serving us once we started asking a few questions about the menu, almost like they were annoyed that we weren’t familiar with the options. My husband was brought the incorrect beer and his portion of soft shell crab only had one piece when we saw other plates containing two being brought to other diners. My arctic char was really good though, very well seasoned and tasty. Would definitely come back for the food but hoping for a slightly better experience.