During our mini-vacation we stayed at the famous Jefferson hotel. Inside they have their signature restaurant Lemair. This was your typical white table cloth fine dining that I always find hit or miss. However, this one was definitely a hit as we enjoyed almost every single bite from the meal. Mussels were plump, hamachi was fresh and the scallops were sweet and perfectly seared. Service was amazing and the ambiance of the hotel made this a special dinner. Apps: Hamachi Crudo and Mussels Entrees: Caramelized Sea Scallops and Grilled Rock Fish Sides: Mushrooms Dessert: Chocolate and Raspberry Cheesecake Drinks: Cocktail and Wine read more

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What a grand and historic place. Very high ceilings and ornate design grace a restaurant with lovely food and attentive staff. The server gave me a printed souvenir menu with "Happy Anniversary!" printed across the top for my celebration. To begin, I was offered bread (that is complementary) and I then had the Chesapeake Bay Crab Cake. This was an appetizer-sized cake with lots of crab. This seafood had a slightly sweet taste of delicate seafood meat. The sauce was of a tangy mustard base. My main dish were the Carmelized Sea Scallops. The seafood was wonderfully seared to create a buttery flavor on the 3 large scallops. The mollusks were carefully placed on perlou with a peppery finish. The rice absorbed the seafood broth to make a richly seasoned bed. The perlou also offered a smoked meat flavor. Very tasty. This is a charming restaurant with very high quality food. read more

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We went here for our anniversary. I'm newer to the area and had not experienced the Jefferson yet. It was beautiful. The service was phenomenal and the food was incredible. Perfect place for those wanting a dining experience. We devoured our food before a picture was thought about. The burger is huge and delicious. The rockfish was wonderful with delicious sauces and vegetables to accompany. Mac and cheese was good! read more

Lemaire Restaurant - Crème brûlée - New American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Definitely a higher end of service but not that great of a service for the pricing and how they portray themselves. Our table didn't get cleaned up for dessert, no towels, etc. I guess we were expecting more? It was super pretty but that's about it. read more

Lemaire Restaurant - New American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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The Lemaire restaurant is gorgeous and located within the equally gorgeous Jefferson hotel. You'll dine in rooms with 20 ft ceilings, receive attentive service and delicious food. The decor is lovely. Yes, you pay for all of this, but it's an exquisite experience. The fried oysters were excellent! I could eat sooo many of these. Plump, crisp, wonderful with the dipping sauce. The hummus came with assorted vegetables and pita. This was a clean, freak, simple starter. Everyone enjoyed their food here. Some weren't wow'd with the flavors, but said they still enjoyed it. I had the beef tenderloin and it was yummy. Well seasoned, a great portion of broccolini, mash, and overall a nice dish. There were spots with excess droppings of salt, but nothing that deterred me. The bread pudding dessert was so good! Balanced all around with flavors. The creme brulee was ok, but I was actually more pleased with the accompanying gingerbread cookie! Wine and cocktails were enjoyed by everyone and overall, it was a memorable dinner. I recommend it for special occasions. read more

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Excellent high end option in Richmond. I started with the lamb chops, might have been the highlight. While I often find chops not filling enough as a main, as a starter they were perfect and perfectly cooked. The halibut was a good option for my main course, again cooked great and accompanied by a nice assortment of vegetables. I wish, though, it was clearer on the menu that it would only be a few asparagus pieces, as I would have ordered the asparagus side. Probably my most pleasant surprise was having Chateau Musar available by the glass (even just available), my favorite wine and was very glad to introduce it to my colleagues. read more

Located inside the beautiful and historic Jefferson Hotel, Lemaire is an elevated restaurant with an impressive yet intimate atmosphere. For dinner, definitely make a reservation! They provide validated parking for their lot directly across from the hotel which is convenient. Officially, the dress code is casual but I'd say most diners erred towards the side of business casual. For starters, we ordered the ahi tuna tartare which had a sesame vinaigrette that allowed the flavors of the tuna to shine through. The oysters on the half shell were fresh and paired well with a mignonette and cocktail sauce. The beef short rib was incredibly tender and absolutely perfect. I had the halibut as my main dish which was flavorful and came with cucumber greens and a bed of rice. For dessert, we had the chocolate tart which was rich with dark chocolate ganache and paired perfectly with vanilla ice cream. The bananas foster bread pudding felt so home-y and had warm flavors, topped with crunchy pecans, rum caramel and vanilla ice cream. Their menu options vary over time which is nice to try different dishes over the seasons. Between the food, ambiance and the attentiveness of the staff, Lemaire is an amazing choice for any special occasion. read more

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My daughter took me here for my birthday! The food was divine! The weight staff were so friendly and helpful. It's a classy restaurant inside of a historical hotel. You will want to dine here and possibly spend the night. read more

Lemaire Restaurant - New American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

The bar is a must see at the spot ! The salad / fries / burger we ordered were OK but the cocktails were delicious- the people watching amazing - and the vibe just the best old school American history classical design and ambiance you'd hope for ! A must visit ! read more

Stuffy atmosphere but unparalleled food. I've had the tenderloin, the scallops, and many fish dishes here. I wish I felt like I belonged but it's ok, I'll still go with blinders on. read more

Lemaire Restaurant - Vintage grass-fed beef tenderloin IG: @_badassfoodie - New American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Staying at The Jefferson Hotel.. Had dinner here ...a gorgeous room with chandiers.. I asked what name meant in French..is name of Jefferson Davis French chef.. Seated immediately as had reservations... Began with..Tamarind Glazed Short Ribs Buns are warm & whipped butter excellent. She ordered Vintage Grass Fed Beef Tenderloin ... said was DELICIOUS I had Organic Chicken Breast 7 YEAR OLD HAD MEATBALLS & SPHAGETTI ...Kids menu but a huge plste plate Travis our waiter was helpful & even had a birthday ice cream with candle for soon to be 8 year old. Reccomend whether in town or staying at The Jefferson Hotel. read more

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Lemaire is always a 5!! I took a group of girls the week after Christmas to sit amongst the trees and look at the beauty up and down the Grand Staircase. So wonderful. Overwhelming. Better than the Dolphin or the Swan at Disney. I don't like it that they no longer allow you to sit on the sofas and chairs in the lobby for a cocktail or late afternoon appetizers. That needs to revert back. I do like that the Greenhouse has been converted into bar space tables. As always the quality of the food is fabulous. Carpaccio. Charcuterie done as only Lemaire can do. Mocktails. Cocktails. Advice above and beyond. Always a 5. read more

Visited for our 1st time on our 1 year anniversary. Fabulous service, food, drinks, and ambiance! So happy we chose to dine here! read more

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For this Yelp review we are going to travel back in time. We are going to leap back 6 years and 6 months to a time when my wife was my fiancé. The date was March 23rd in the year of our Lord 2018. We were celebrating her 39th birthday. I remember being pressed for time in researching a fancy restaurant. I eventually ran out of time and just needed to pick something. I wanted something posh and elegant with a long-standing reputation of quality. Lemaire received a AAA Four Diamond Rating in 2016 and has been recognized by local publications like Richmond Magazine and the Times-Dispatch on multiple occasions. I know this review is a stretch since it was 6 years ago, but I took great photos to help me remember. We evidently got the pork belly and crab cake as starters. For the main course my fiancé got the scallops, and I ordered the filet mignon. You can tell from the photo my filet was cooked to a textbook perfect medium rare. I remember our whole dining experience was professional and posh. We both thoroughly enjoyed our meal. I'm confident that in present day 2024 and beyond Lemaire is still setting a gold standard. read more

Perfect date night! Decided to go out for dinner last minute and Lemaire was a quick walk from our hotel! Our server was attentive and polite! The food was absolutely delicious. The fried oysters was hands down my favourite part of the meal! I could literally eat a bucket load of these! The duck breast and the bouillabaisse were also very delicious! I had a mocktail which was also absolutely delicious! Would 100% recommend! read more

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This was an excellent dining experience when we were in Richmond the last time. Conveniently located within the Jackson hotel this establishment serves up nothing but the best! This time, we were there for dinner, and our server was excellent at making recommendations for our enjoyment. The service was impeccable; everything was pristine, napkins are folded when you step away from the table, and overall conversations with the weight staff are polite and informative. They make excellent recommendations as far as food and drink or concerned. We had the crabcake and the Manakintowne lettuces to start, and had the halibut and sea scallops for our main dishes. With such a marvelous meal, we then treated ourselves to dessert - chocolate ganache tart and coconut panna cotta were delicious, especially with a nice glass of tawny port. Definitely Recommended - can't wait to try breakfast and lunch the next time we visit! read more

Lemaire Restaurant - New American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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We chose Lemaire for Christmas dinner expecting a fine-dining experience, but unfortunately the evening was disappointing due to both service and rigid policy enforcement. Our party of six was told separate checks were not allowed and that we would need to calculate our own bill allocations. A manager later said three payments could be accepted, but only as equal splits, which did not reflect what guests actually ordered. This resulted in us manually calculating totals, tax, and gratuity at the table, which is not reasonable in a restaurant of this caliber. Compounding the issue, a mandatory 20 percent gratuity was enforced despite clearly subpar service. Our server was largely absent, refills had to be requested, and pacing was extremely slow. Soups took nearly two hours to arrive, main courses followed much later, and tables seated after us were served first. We were also asked to remind staff who had ordered which dishes. Management acknowledged the frustration but stated they had no discretion to adjust policies or gratuity. The emphasis on rules over hospitality overshadowed the entire experience. A guaranteed gratuity without accountability, combined with inflexible billing policies, made what should have been a special holiday meal feel frustrating and transactional. Given Lemaire's reputation, this was disappointing. read more

If I'm going to spend 300+ dollars on dinner I do not want to be rushed through my meal. The food was excellent as always but the server was pushy and gave the impression he wanted us out as soon as we sat down. I will be looking elsewhere in the future for nice holiday dinners. read more

We visited the Jefferson Hotel's Lemaire restaurant lounge for drinks and appetizers. The drinks and food were very good, though the bar area is a bit small with limited seating at what appeared to be four to five cafe tables with chairs. They do also have a bar to sit at. For food, we really enjoyed the fried deviled eggs. The four half-eggs came with some ham and greens as well as chili sauce. They were delicious. We also ordered the cheese charcuterie board, which came with fig jam, fresh fruit, four slices of bread, four slices of cheese, and a scoop of pimento cheese. It also was very good. Friendly staff did their best on a busy night with a smile on their faces. read more

Lemaire Restaurant - Menu - New American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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you are looking for great French food without a reservation, this is the place for you! They have delicious Virginia Peanuts and olives while you wait, along with a fantastic wine menu. l'a also like to recommend the Cold Salmon plate, as well as the Deviled Egg! read more

Lemaire Restaurant - Hudson Valley Foie Gras - New American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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We were in town visiting family and stopped here for appetizers and dinner. The hotel is spectacular and the restaurant was super cute on the inside. Our waitress was super nice and did a great job. I had the afternoon delight and it was super good and refreshing. The fried devil eggs are a must try!! I don't even like devil eggs that much and they were killer. We also had the fried oysters which were good and I loved the sauce they came with. I bet the dinner is good here but its worth it to stop in for a drink and appetizers. read more

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We had breakfast at Lemaire today and really enjoyed the experience. From the host to the servers, everyone was friendly and welcoming. The setting is absolutely gorgeous with a ton of natural light. A well rounded menu with something for everyone and we felt that the prices were very reasonable. I had the eggs benedict and it was excellent and my husband had the three egg omelet. So delicious. I will definitely go back again! read more

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Celebrating my birthday and wanted to do something special. I've been eyeing Lemaire for a while but to be honest I'm not a fan of getting dressed up to go for dinner. But when it's your birthday and you've eaten at just about every restaurant that allows flip flops, you sometimes have to splash out for the food. Flip flops stored away, fancy outfit donned, reservation secured...I'm doing this! Oh and my husband came along for the ride. After studying the menu, reading reviews and viewing all the photos of my fellow Yelpers, we had a good idea of what we wanted to do, and it involved eating an embarrassing amount of food, but we really wanted to experience Lemaire. So here we go... We were greeted by our server Lori, who was phenomenal. Her vibe matched ours and the service she provided elevated our experience. I reviewed with her the items we wanted to eat and I left it to her to course it out. First things first, beverages. My husband got the old fashioned. I haven't been drinking so wasn't sure I was going to have anything but made a game-time decision to get a half bottle of Bordeaux. Mind you it was expensive ($60), but well worth it. I looked up the wine and it was highly rated and after tasting it I get why. It was lovely. For food we got fried oysters, Caesar salad, raw oysters with mignonette, scallops, filet, pork chop and chocolate mousse cake and coffee for dessert. We left it up to Lori to figure out the order of things and how it was served and she did a great job. We started with the fried oysters, which had the best fried chicken crust and they were served with bread and butter pickles, ham and hot sauce with a remoulade. Jeez these were good! Next up was the little gem Caesar salad. Loved this appetizer! The dressing was more like a Caesar vinaigrette, which a appreciate. And the anchovies...honestly just fry up a bunch of those and let me devour them. Then the oysters on a half shell with mignonette. They were good but I had bits of shell, which was a little off putting. I mean, they opened oysters way better than I can, so who's complaining. Next up was the scallops entree with blue crab succotash. We split this too and my goodness that was a good decision. Soooo glad we decided to do that. No regrets. And the entrees. My husband got the cider-brined pork chop and loved it and I got the filet mignon substituting grits for potatoes. Delicious. We brought both home. And finally dessert. Chocolate mousse cake and they wrote happy birthday on the plate and presented it with candles. Also forgot to mention that Lori brought sorbet ahead of the entrees. This most definitely was the best meal I've had in Richmond and probably one of the best I've had in a long time. I'd do it again in a skinny minute. Just wish flip flops were appropriate attire. read more

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I met my friend for drinks and dinner at Lemaire when I was in Richmond. This is located in the Jefferson hotel. I had not been in the hotel in almost 20 years and don't think I had ever tried this restaurant. It was honestly so so good! The server checked on us the right amount and although we planned to eat at the bar because we didn't have a reservation, we enjoyed our drinks at a table by the bar and then were seated by the window when we ordered our food. The ambiance is the historical aka dated vibe, but after we had dinner we walked through the Jefferson and WOW. It is just as beautiful and honestly stunning. My friend and I took a photo. Our food was so good! We got sandwiches... I got the crab cake and she got the BlT. She got a Cosmo and I got espresso martinis. The food was better than the drinks, and the drinks weren't bad. Just not "instagrammable" as they say. read more

Lemaire Restaurant - New American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

We ate at the current replacement for Lamaire called TJs. The crabcake was delicious, as was the deviled egg appetizer. We ordered the peanut soup, which was "ok". It was really nothing special, just like melted peanut butter with a little liqueur added. The side salad was not edible, it contain several off tasting greens, most of them bitter. The coleslaw was the most bland I had ever eaten. No taste to it whatsoever, just like a dish of shredded cabbage. A friend ordered the burger,which was fine except the pungent cheese in the burger. Over all is was a fair dining experience. read more

Lemaire Restaurant - The most bland coleslaw in existence. - New American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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We recently stayed the night at the Jefferson and decided to give this award winning place a try for breakfast. There was no hostess and each employee (3 in all) said wait a minute, let me get someone, and the 3rd just ducked around the corner. Needless to say after quite a long wait while we detail studied the menu... and no one came back. We left. This is an Award Winning Restaurant? If no hostess is available, why can't the employees set us? How hard is that? Absolutely worthless... definitely not coming back for another try. 0 stars for service and 0 stars for not having back up hostess instructions. I give this a 2 based solely on lack of service, and leave this for you to try read more

I was staying at the Jefferson Hotel and had only arrived a brief time before going to dinner so I did not yet have a good sense of just how fancy this restaurant was going to be. Sometimes hotel restaurants are a little underwhelming, but this one is the kind of destination restaurant that locals visit for special occasions. In retrospect, my travel, weary clothing and sneakers was not the best choice for wardrobe, but I have to give everyone their credit for extending such grace and hospitality, despite my apparent lack of awareness! Our server was phenomenal. His name was David and he is a singer in a local band. In addition to that, he knew the menu inside and out and did not steer us wrong. The chicken was delicious, but the appetizer of the sweet pea risotto was something I continued to think about for the rest of the trip as I tried to come up with a reason to return to the restaurant again just for that appetizer! Absolutely perfect experience. read more

Lemaire Restaurant - Pea risotto - New American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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the past few times I've been here the service is awful. The waitress seemed annoyed she had to wait on us. The food is pretty good. I've tried the steak, burger, tuna and cheese board. All pretty good especially for Richmond. Its really pretty inside but their hospitality needs to improve. I do recommendation this place but be are of bad service. read more

Date night with wifey - Parking - They have a lot available for customers a block over, but vallet at the Jefferson was the move for a special occasion. Check In - We arrived 25 mins early, so we grabbed espresso martinis, and oysters at the bar. Martinis were above average and oysters were delicious. It took 7-8 minutes to get any recognition, but once we did the service was good. Dinner - Our waitress was great and had good recs! We started with the Risotto and short rib appetizers. The Short Rib was the best I've ever had and the risotto was good. We followed that up with the Tenderloin entre and Mac & Cheese side. The Tenderloin was very good, but the best part of the dish was the leak bread pudding - amazing! The Max & Cheese was better than the Rissoto. Desert - We got the cheese cake to go and it was bomb! Best I've ever had. Service was good, ambience was great, food met or exceeded expectations for every dish. Check it out! read more

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10/10 experience at Lemaire! Bruce our waiter was so sweet, very knowledgeable about the menu, and helped guide us in our food decisions. He was so gracious in answering our 800 questions haha. We went with the fried oysters for the appetizer and for entrees the scallops accompanied by polenta served two ways, as well as the snapper over a succotash (no Lima beans here!). Everything was delicious! The oysters came with a house made hot sauce and another sauce that tasted like potato salad which was so weird but tasty and complemented them well. The scallops were huge and cooked perfectly. My friend loved her snapper and was impressed at how well seasoned the succotash was. For drink options, I brought a bottle of champagne of my choice which I love you have the option to do (as long as it's not already on their extensive list). The corkage fee is $25. For dessert we opted for espresso martinis LOL. If you have not been to The Jefferson Hotel, it should definitely be on your list. Such a beautiful hotel with picture worthy architecture.. and a delicious restaurant! **Note: they change their menu every 4 months or so so don't be surprised if what you see here isn't what you get! read more

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SHORT REVIEW: YOU WILL NOT BE DISSAPPOINTED. Expensive =YES Worth it =100% YES! FULL REVIEW: This place pays attention to detail & the food is exceptional. The elegant decor & ambiance set the mood for a perfect evening. I tried mussels, which I normally think are gross, but I did it because my husband loves them. WOW! They were actually delicious & I ended up eating more of them than my husband! The tomato salad was the best I've ever had. The tomatoes were brought in fresh from a local place that afternoon & the mozzarella ball I'll be dreaming about for months. It was intact, but as soon as you sliced it, it burst with exquisite melted deliciousness. Amazing! The staff was expedient, attentive & well knowledgeable about the drinks & menu. We will definitely be back! read more

Lemaire Restaurant - Bar Harbor Maine Steamed Mussels in a coconut curry sauce... Delicious! - New American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Beautiful restaurant with great decor sits in The Jefferson hotel. Really enjoyed our dinner and breakfasts. The staff is very attentive and accommodating. read more

Lemaire Restaurant - Jefferson Hotel - New American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

**4.25 A beautiful table for two with great service throughout the meal. Food was plated wonderfully and everything was delicious from the beer, to the scallops and strip steak. read more

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We came for our anniversary and the experience from start to end was wonderful. The ambiance of the hotel and all the details of the table set up and decor were beautiful. Our server, Datraun, was exceptional! He was knowledgeable of the menu and very kind. And of course, the food was delicious. read more

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I came here for my anniversary. The Jefferson feels like a special place when you walk through the doors so I had high hopes for lemaire. While the food we ordered was good, the portions were small (1 tiny crab cake for $24?!?) I'm willing to pay a premium for good food but I didn't think it was THAT good. I also thought having the waitstaff know it was an anniversary they would've done something a little special or a little surprise. Not necessary, but the type of thing you would expect at a place that is "classy" read more

Decided to try this place for my wife's birthday and I'm glad we did. We had an amazing dinner. Food was delicious and you can tell the chefs are top notch. Every single bite has so much flavor. Drinks were equally amazing. I had an old fashion and my wife had a gin martini which were smooth. I'm glad we decided to do dessert with a cheesecake. Which I highly recommend with a port wine. The service was excellent, they even printed my wife's name on the menu and which made it feel really personalized. They included a candle with our dessert cake. Needless to say, my wife was truly amazed. Thank you to the staff for giving us a memorable night. We'll be visiting soon on our next special occasion. read more

Lemaire Restaurant - Golden Seared Jumbo Sea Scallops - New American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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We always enjoy Lemaire! This is a wonderful special occasion restaurant and one of the few places in Richmond where you can really dress up and not feel out of place. My husband and I dined at Lemaire on New Year's Day and had a great experience, as always. The Jefferson was beautifully decorated for the holidays. We are glad we arrived a bit early for our reservation to enjoy the holiday decorations and take photos. We started with holiday specialty cocktails and shared the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake Appetizer and Butternut Squash Bisque. For dinner, we shared the Grass-fed Beef Tenderloin and Caramelized Sea Scallops. We wanted to try the scallops, but every time we go to Lemaire, the beef tenderloin is so good that we were considering just getting two tenderloin entrées. Our server assured us that the scallops were delicious enough to stand up to the tenderloin, and he was right! For dessert, we had the Dark Chocolate Delight and Vanilla Almond Mousse. Everything was truly phenomenal. Lemaire just does it right every time. The service was perfect. In fact, at the beginning of the meal, I accidentally burned the corner of the leather menu cover with the candle. Our server relit our candle and kindly answered our menu questions without me even realizing what I'd done. My husband was the one to nicely point it out and remind me to be careful with fire, but our server never said a word. He kindly went about taking good care of us as I was inadvertently lighting their things on fire. All in all, our dinner at Lemaire was a wonderful experience and great way to kick off the new year. We can't wait to return. read more

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Unfortunately my experience dining at Lemaire last night was less than acceptable. This was an annual tradition of going to dinner and then seeing the Christmas decorations, but by far my worst experience dining here. The waitress was very rude, short and inattentive from the start. When fine dining, you are paying for the experience and she certainly made sure it was a negative one. All of the food was cold and subpar. The $24 crab cake appetizer was extremely salty and I found multiple shells in it. The Mac and cheese was very cold and my friend's beef tenderloin entree that mind you was $58 was over cooked and you guessed it.. cold. They were not serving any oysters due to a salmonella outbreak (not their fault) and yet did not offer any specials leaving 2 items off of an already small menu. I will not be returning and for the price point they need to do way better when it comes to the staff's attitude and food quality. This was supposed to be a good experience and ended up being far from it. Luckily Richmond is filled with amazing restaurants that know how to do the dining experience right. read more

The restaurant was more than half empty tonight. We were seated, ordered, and enjoyed our appetizers. Then we waited an exceptionally long time for our entrees - more than 45 minutes! As soon as we complained that we had not received our main course, we were told that they were serving a large group in an adjoining room. We questioned if we were ever going to be served our meal, suddenly our dishes were scurried out as if they had forgotten about them. The manager asked if we were satisfied with our meal, and we said no. The food was good, but overpriced. The service was TERRIBLE! read more

Had breakfast here. Wanted a smaller portion size so ordered the breakfast sandwich. It was on a croissant. Still a large portion size. Two eggs on bacon lettuce and avacado and tomato. Super tasty. A little had to eat. Super tasty. The service was great. food came out quickly. read more