Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Amuse Restaurant

    4.1 (178 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 8:00 pm

    Amuse Restaurant Photos

    AMUSE RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Dressy
    Good for groups

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Amuse Restaurant

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Crab cakes
    Kenya M.

    I've lived in Richmond for a while, and I can't believe I was sleeping on Amuse for brunch! I visited this past Sunday and the entire experience was 10/10 from start to finish. The Atmosphere: The ambiance is lovely; it feels very elevated but still relaxed. The views of the sculpture garden through the floor-to-ceiling windows are lovely. The Food & Drinks: We started with their themed cocktail menu inspired by the Giants exhibit, which was a really nice touch. As for the food, everything we tried was delicious: * Jumbo Lump Crab Roll: This was the absolute star of the meal! So fresh and flavorful. * Crab cakes were very good. * Truffle Eggs & Frittata: Both were savory and perfectly prepared. * Steak and Eggs: Very high quality and cooked exactly how I liked it. * The Fries: Surprisingly great--super crispy! * Sock-It-To-Me cake was the perfect sweet ending and the espresso was the best accompaniment. I need to know the coffee brand because it was that good! The Service: Great service really makes a meal, and our server was wonderful. They were attentive and made the morning feel special. The bartender was a gem too! Total Experience: It's the perfect spot for a Sunday visit. Go check it out y'all!

    Amuse bouche: Salmon tartare
    Hannah S.

    As previously mentioned, Amuse is one of my favorite local restaurants to dine at. I recently ate there in celebration of my husband's birthday & once again, the food, the service & the ambiance were all top level. My husband & I enjoyed everything from the appetizer to dessert & each dish was absolutely full of flavor & stunning in presentation. I never tire of eating at Amuse.

    Fries
    Lena M.

    If you haven't been to Amuse before, it's located on the third floor of the VMFA and overlooks the sculpture garden. It's a bit more of a business casual dress-up restaurant in the afternoon. I came here for lunch as a group of six. I had only been once before years before for my birthday and hadn't been back since. It was nice returning to eat indoors. The big windows still make you feel like you're on the museum's "rooftop." The hostess was extremely sweet and our waiter was very attentive. He gave us time to peruse the menu. My fiancé and I ended up sharing the fried oysters and duck ragu oro pasta pappardelle. We ordered fries and the gigantes bean hummus for the table too. The food is good here, but most of us were left wishing for a little more variation in flavor in our dishes. I really loved the focaccia and butter that came out before our food, it was delicious. The fried oysters were pretty nice too. I did love the pasta in our duck ragu dish. The fries were also awesome. I don't remember exactly what my friends got, but one got a chicken sandwich and another ordered a mushroom dish. We had a good time here as a group.

    Crispy thyme Eggplant
    Maya O.

    Amazing food & drinks before the Frida Kahlo exhibit! Such a lovely lunch with family as we enjoyed/devoured their NY strip steak with tajin fries, Farmer's & little gem lettuce salads, and the crispy thyme eggplant Everything tasted so fresh and delicious, and i absolutely cannot forget to mention the amazing service! We washed everything down their michelada and avocado margaritas. Beautiful bar and nice seating ;) will be returning ASAP

    Espresso Martini AKA the love of my life
    Lauren B.

    A beautiful restaurant overlooking the lawn at the VMFA. The service was wonderful and we thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience. For starters, we enjoyed the Fried Oysters (so good!) and Mussels (just ok-- wouldn't order again). For lunch I had the fish and I thought the accoutrements were a little strange but the fish was very good. I just ate around the rest of it. The complimentary bread and butter is to die for and the fries were very good too! Oh, and the Espresso Martini? DIVINE All in all, it was a nice lunch and pleasant experience. I would definitely return and plan to! Thanks, Amuse!

    Stephanie L.

    Make sure to get a reservation if you come. Gets busy! I walked in for an early lunch at 11:30 and they were able to accommodate me in 15minutes. When I checked in, people after were told they had to wait another hour since all seats were taken. You can probably ask to sit at the bar if that happens if you don't mind not facing the beautiful wall of windows. Service was warm and attentive. Food was the most elevated meal I had while visiting Richmond. Also note that museum is free entry (how amazing!) Beet salad was just perfection and rockfish was nicely prepared. A don't missing you are visiting RVA!

    Steak and eggs
    K P.

    An amazing experience. We took advantage of the beautiful weather yesterday and tried this restaurant for brunch. I am grateful for the suggestion to eat here. Although I am usually the one who asks to eat outside, it was nit my suggestion this time and I am grateful that it worked out to our liking. Although warm and bright due to being directly in the sun, we were able to enjoy the fresh air and the views. I am remiss to say I do not recall the name of our food concierge during our time there, but he was very attentive and knowledgeable. The recommendations were great. We ordered drinks: Chrysanthemum, Sauvignon Boanc, and the water of the day (cucumber citrus) that, by suggestion; was spiked with vodka. Each drink was refreshing and a great selection to enjoy outside. Our food orders: We started with fried oysters (they were cooked softer than I prefer, yet still delicious. The breading was light, but paired well and gave slight crunch and texture) They brought us complimentary pecan crumble and it was sooooooooo good. I would not otherwise eat pecans. This is the only way that I will. We took what we could not funush there, home. Since our youngest person has a nut-allergy, they brought a tiny dish of crackers which I thought was very thoughtful for them to be included. Crab Benedict with scrambled eggs: this portion was very much appreciated and filling. The crab cake was seasoned well. I liked the greens, but did not enjoy them in combination with the other components of the dish. The eggs were scrambled to my liking and paired well with the crab cake and sauce. The English muffin was charred more than I would have liked, but it was able to be cut and eaten without issue. The potatoes were good. Buttermilk Waffle: the waffle was soft. I like a slight crisp, especially in the edges. There are four waffles served with seasonal fruit (for us, it was blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries), whipped cream, compote, and a crumble. It was very appreciative that this dish is nut-free as an option for someone with a food allergy would be able to enjoy it. Steak and eggs: He shared that the steak (cooked medium well) was okay and so were the eggs (which were scrambled). We will definitely go back. This would be a splurge type of place.

    Drink menu
    Anna K.

    We came here for a birthday and were pleasantly surprised to see the menus printed with a "Happy Birthday!" across the top. The birthday girl was very excited to also have a chocolate disk on her dessert also wishing her a happy birthday. Our server was very attentive, friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. To start, I tried the snapdragon sparkling cocktail, which was very good. It had a good balance of sweet with a hint of spice. We enjoyed the curry fried oysters and the poached shrimp with heirloom tomatoes and fried capers as appetizers. The poached shrimp and heirloom tomatoes dish was a standout among all of the dishes we ordered. For our entrees, we got the flat iron steak, swordfish, and lamb flatbread. The swordfish was an odd dish due to it being surprisingly sweet and tasted like apple pie. Out of the entrees, we'd recommend the flat iron steak. The dessert course saw the lime leaf ice cream, the turon sundae, and the cheese plate. We were confused by the sundae and would pick the cheese plate in the future. Overall, it's an experience I would highly recommend, especially if you have something to celebrate.

    Drinks menu
    Chris K.

    We absolutely love going to Amuse after seeing an exhibit at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond. The chef creates an innovative menu that is often tied to the museum's special exhibit. A go-to favorite for us is the fried oysters. This time they came with chow-chow. Delicious!! For mains, we got the crab cake with a succotash comprising zucchini, corn, and cherry tomatoes on top of buttermilk dressing. You can decline the dressing for a dairy-free meal. There's lots of crab in this little crab cake, and the meal is a filling lunch. Top marks!! We also ordered the chicken sandwich made of thigh meat, chow-chow, coleslaw, and sauce. It came with a side of salad on the plate. The concept is good and the flavors meld nicely, but there's so much moisture that the brioche bun disintegrated on the bottom, making it challenging to hold. For drinks, we enjoyed the house made soda, which was pear and ginger. We also ordered a cranberry mimosa. Both were excellent! We'll be back!

    Seasonal menu
    Marta W.

    Fantastic food. Best fried oysters I have ever eaten. Whimsical and varied cocktails and mocktails. And great service. Plus the museum-- what are you waiting for!

    French toast

    See all

    2 months ago

    Food was delicious and Elizabeth was a terrific server. She went out of her way to make our meal memorable. Hugh recommend

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 2
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of K P.
    30
    174
    596

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Don Q.
    3
    101
    46

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Natalya A.
    261
    249
    50

    1 year ago

    We were a party of five, sat in a round table, quick service, all the food was delicious, we highly recommend.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Went with large (9) group post a high school graduation. Everyone was please with what they ordered. Service was excellent

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Marta W.
    25
    106
    9

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of J F.
    0
    11
    0

    11 months ago

    Outstanding experience! Food was excellent. Our Server (Nabeeha) was enthusiastic and wonderful. Thank you we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mary A.
    102
    728
    2738

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Pam W.
    126
    709
    4233

    6 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of John D.
    174
    986
    2364

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of LoveToEat Z.
    9
    368
    1525

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Tay E.
    12
    367
    776

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 5

    Ask the Community - Amuse Restaurant

    You might also consider

    Lillie Pearl

    Lillie Pearl

    4.5
    (755 reviews)
    1.9 mi
    $$

    One of the best restaurants I've visited. Ambiance was nice, seated right away, music was great (if…read moreyou're into 90s r&b), service was outstanding, and the food was some of the best I've had. I had the sweet potato cornbread, crispy salmon, with a side of collards. My wife had the oysters (with a really tasty hot sauce) and the crab cake (no filler). Everything was savory and light, cooked to perfection. We were both stuffed as we walked away from this gem!

    I finally got to the new location of Lillie Pearl. The location is great. Right at the triangle…read morewhere the Maggie L Walker stature stands on Broad St. It's open and airy with two levels of seating a a nice bar. We were there late Saturday night(8:30pm). The server, Briana, was one of the best I've had in a very long time. Personable, great smile, friendly, and knew her stuff. We ordered the brussel sprouts- they were great with a nice heat from the sauce. We had the crispy skin salmon, which came with a nice fresh salad, The skin was amazingly crispy and the flesh was flavorful. I asked Briana to surprise me with something good and boy did she deliver. It was their porkchop served over some super tasty mashed potatoes. Note that this is not how they are usually served, it was Briana's favorite way to eat this dish so she made the decision for me. The porkchop was very very good. Nice grill marks, onions, and a very nice cream-based sauce. This was so so good. They are doing great food at this new location and I will be back again.

    Photos
    Top floor decor and portrait wall
    Top floor decor and portrait wall
    Roasted Heirloom Baby Carrots Dinner
    Roasted Heirloom Baby Carrots Dinner
    First floor dining

    See all

    First floor dining
    Lillian

    Lillian

    4.6
    (48 reviews)
    0.8 mi

    if you are going to read any of these dumb yelp review in full, this is the one…read more i once read an article describing the talent of the head chef's ability here to "cram so much bold flavor into a tiny dish". in general, i usually dread small plate restaurants expecting to pay a large bill and leave hungry. this was the exception. these were the most unique, creative, high end, flavorful, dishes i have ever had. seriously. the absolute best BITES of my ENTIRE life. i swear to god dormant tastebuds and flavors i didn't even know existed were provided here. the chef here draws spanish inspiration into each dish, and i was in there feeling like the food critic from ratatouille the way familiar flavors blended in effortlessly with extravagant flairs. and don't get me started on the presentation !!! everything was gorgeous. this restaurant was named #3 out of 100 in the city, and i honestly think it should be #1. i may be biased since my boyfriend works at a sister restaurant owned by the same guy, but this is definitely the favorite sibling for me. unreal how fresh, flavorful, and carefully crafted everything was. so so so so good. if you come to richmond, make this the top priority to visit. that being said, if you can't handle intense, innovative flavors, this isn't the place for you. also, go during happy hour

    Hats off to the staff at Lillian who continue to be wonderful, but now that they have scrapped…read moretheir dollar oyster lunch specials, the food has absolutely nothing to offer. Like too many restaurants in the Scott's Addition area, this is seafood cooked without finesse and then absolutely brutalized with absurd amounts of palate fatiguing, brash, loud flavors. Every item on the menu endeavors to conceal mediocrity in the quality and handling of the ingredients with explosive, overwhelming additives meant to shock you into submission. Things like black garlic and chili oil, raw garlic, sesame seed oil, and punishing heat are inescapable on the menu, which really says to me loud and clear "we do not understand the appeal of seafood, and might have a fundamental misunderstanding about good food in general." I don't exaggerate when I say these dishes would be improved (setting aside things like inability to properly cook octopus) by scaling back the flavors to 5-10% the loudness level they are currently at, to let the ingredients speak, and to make the dining experience less of a punishing marathon with no relief. I have had much subtler and more skillfully balanced dishes at Indian and Thai restaurants, cuisines known for strong flavor profiles. I'm through listening to these Richmond restaurants trying to excuse simply bad food by claiming "that's the nature of the cuisine." In this case, Lillian claims that dishes characterized by these cacophonous competing flavors is "South American." No it isn't - the person conceptualizing the dishes is just a bad chef who doesn't know what he's doing, and at the prices Lillian charges, that's inexcusable. Drowning every dish in flavors that overwhelm the palate is not a way to respect your ingredients or your diner, and only communicates youth and insecurity. Anyone who's eaten widely and knows their ingredients will rightly feel assaulted and insulted by this overpriced, unskilled fare. To anyone who decides to go anyway: Good luck with the digestive distress, and with the taste that will still be left over in your mouth the next morning, no matter how much you brush your teeth.

    Photos
    Seafood Tower
    Seafood Tower
    Lillian
    Miller high life with Aperol

    See all

    Miller high life with Aperol
    Reveler Experiences

    Reveler Experiences

    4.7
    (46 reviews)
    0.4 mi

    Révéler is the kind of place that defies easy description, which is exactly what makes it worth…read morevisiting. The décor is wildly eclectic and definitely gives the spot a unique feel. I was there for a private event. The crowd was warm and wonderfully mixed. There was a little chat before the event began that basically told us to not get kicked out by being mean or non-inclusive. Not sure how I felt about that. Parking in Carytown is its own contact sport. Come early -- your blood pressure will thank you. I parked 6 blocks away and was lucky to get that. Bottom line: Weird, welcoming, and worth every lap around the block looking for a spot if you're into crowds and are looking for something different.

    Came here with friends and it seems like a cool spot, especially for an older crowd. We purchased…read moretickets expecting a jazz experience, but the music was not jazz at all, which was a bit disappointing. The art exhibitions were nice and definitely interesting to walk through. The charcuterie board we ordered was excellent and a highlight of the night. The location is also great for nightlife. That said, the drinks didn't quite hit the mark for me, and the service was inconsistent. We were told guests are expected to be quiet during the sets, yet another group was talking loudly and nothing was addressed, which felt a bit uneven. Overall, it's not a place I'd return to, and I wouldn't recommend it if you're looking for a more diverse crowd.

    Photos
    Reveler Experiences
    Reveler Experiences
    Reveler Experiences

    See all

    Grandstaff & Stein

    Grandstaff & Stein

    4.1
    (350 reviews)
    3.3 mi
    $$

    A must stop in the downtown Richmond area!…read more It's truly a speakeasy with the door posing as a bookshelf. To get in, you must know the password or tell the host a joke that makes him laugh. We were escorted in and quickly noticed that this was more than a speakeasy-it was a full restaurant. We stopped in for drinks, but it was nice to have tapas. I got the popcorn with the Tequilla lime butter, which was the perfect balance of salt. I had a mezcal drink which was perfect! I'm such a fan of mezcal and am excited when I see it on the menu. Our waitress was a delight-super attentive and also a bartender so she was able to answer all of our drink questions. It was very spacious with outdoor seating. Definitely a 10/10 experience. I would definitely go again!

    The parking is a sh*t show around here. We walked here, so I can't fault them for that…read more Upon entering, we were greeted by an enthusiastic young man dedicated to his role. He asked for the password and we, unprepared, had to tell him a joke or an interesting fact. Luckily, my partner had one on hand. The atmosphere was lovely, very reminiscent of a 1920s speakeasy, or at least what you'd imagine it to be like. Our server came by within a few minutes of us being seated. She lacked enthusiasm, unlike the host, unfortunately. Her service turned out to be lackluster as well. We ordered the chicken pot pie and the filet mignon with asparagus. For drinks, the Grape Gatsby and Maine root beer. The food, like our server, lacked appeal. The saving grace was the host and the atmosphere. The view was lovely and the intimacy of the setting was a welcome experience. For dessert we ordered the bread pudding, and it was tasty, though nothing special. The burned odor that we smelled prior to its arrival turned out to be the bread. I can recommend Grandstaff and Stein as an experience, but you should not expect much in the way of culinary delights or exemplary service. We probably won't be back, but if you've never been, it's worth trying at least once.

    Photos
    Atmosphere and large table
    Atmosphere and large table
    Baked Brie
    Baked Brie
    Hidden bookshelf door

    See all

    Hidden bookshelf door

    Amuse Restaurant - newamerican - Updated August 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...