First stop into the Ballast tasting room and loved our visit…read more There's 2 different inside seating spaces and outdoor seating. You order from qr codes on your table and they bring your coctails to your table. Food available as well Very fun seasonal cocktail menu and of course martinis! The "garage door" side was well air-conditioned which was awesome on the hot day we visited :)

Was exploring Richmond and had to stop by since we are vodka lovers. Cirrus hit the spot! We…read morestarted out with the hibiscus mule and orange Crush (seasonal summer menu) and round 2 was Cini' Tini Briney Boy martini and No corn star cocktail. Today was nice patio weather so we enjoyed sitting outside. Our server took good care of us, but also mentioned we could have ordered through the toast app. Our drinks were strong and the seasoned snack mix of oyster crackers and pretzels was so delicious. As an added bonus, some of our drinks were on the daily special and happy hour menu. Regardless, the drinks were unique and worth full price though. Next time I want to try the Jala-Pina vodka (jalapeno and pineapple infused vodka).

A friend and I stopped in yesterday to check this place out. It's located at the top of a single…read morelane windy road. When we entered, we found the two owners, a husband and wife, talking to a group of customers. The wife said as soon as she saw our car pull in, she knew she had to come from the house next door and help her husband. They have been married for over 40 years and really should be a comedy team, very entertaining to listen to their back and forth banter! My friend opted for a Moscow Mule made with their Apple Pie moonshine (or as they call it, "Gooch Hooch"), and she said her drink was delicious. I decided to get a flight of their Apple Pie, Blueberry and Blackberry moonshine. The Apple Pie flavor was definitely my favorite, but the owners said the Lemon and Blackberry were their most popular. They also make several whiskeys, bourbon and gin for those with more adult tastes, lol! Their tasting room is on the smaller size, but is cozy and owners definitely make it entertaining. They've got great outdoor spaces for the warmer weather. My friend and I had a good time and would definitely come back.

Acoustics are loud in here! Say what?? I said... oh never mind! Today this distillery was…read moreeverything but still. Full of folks having a good times and getting into the "spirit" of things! If you are in the Goochland area, this cool distillery is worth a gander! As the name states, it's atop of a hill, surrounded by a forest in a rustic setting. There are two fire pits, which we snuggled around while we sipped our libations. Also a stage is on the grounds when there's live music here! Inside is small, a few tables, a bar, and shelves of hooch for sale! They offer other gifts as well, soaps, coffee, chocolates - I bought several!! We also purchased some of the blackberry moonshine they make, which the owner made into a nice presentation with a galvanized bucket and the other items we chose all wrapped up! It make a wonderful gift! The liquors are mostly bourbon whiskey, scotch, rye, vodka and moonshine. My hubby tried a flight, and I had a coffee/kahlua/whiskey drink - I'm not much of a liquor drinker, a bit strong for me, but it was pretty good! We also got a tour of the distillery and it was so cool seeing all the machinery and how the distilling process is done! The owners are super sweet and hospitable! We would definitely give this place another "shot" whenever we are in the neighborhood! I can't wait til it's warmer and they have live bands!!

Highly recommend trying out their flights. Their moonshine is tasty and packs a punch…read more Highly recommend their lavender and pickle moonshine ( they nailed the flavor for both)

Belle isle moonshine is one of my faves local distilleries in RVA. They come out with new flavors…read morepretty often, so you never get bored. However, some of my faves are the OGs. I'm talking blood orange & cold brew. Also, I enjoy the tasting room! I typically come here to try a new flavor before buying a bottle. The staff is always super welcoming & friendly. It is located in the warehouse, so no bells & whistles. But they have a table inside, and we'll as some benches inside to enjoy your tastings. It's super affordable, and buying your products & merch here is cheaper than shipping.

This was our first stop on our mini tasting trail in the Scott's Addition neighborhood. Enjoyed the…read morecider here! I tasted the fruit punch and the pineapple kiwi. I ended up going with the pineapple kiwi and did not regret it at all! Perfectly sweet and crisp. Service was great! This place was pretty chill and quiet for a Saturday afternoon. Can't wait to come back

Such a cool spot, I love that they offer flights in different sizes. Scott's Addition has so many…read moredrink spots, that it makes for the perfect drink crawl to be able to do 3-5 cider samples! I tried the RVA, the sweet tart, and the old-fashioned, and they all brought different things to the table that were delicious!! The old-fashioned was very reminiscent of an old-fashioned.This location has tons of seating and many board games which makes for a perfect spot to meet up with friends. They also are willing to offer free samples of everything, which makes it super fun! Highly recommend the next time you're in the area. Bartenders were super friendly and helpful. Chips available for food.

What a cute spot! I came here for a craft night (not affiliated with the brewery) and really loved…read morethe space. There's plenty of seating and space to move around, and the decor lining the windows/walls is super cute. The drink choices include beer and cocktails made with their hard seltzer. I had the strawberry honey cocktail and it was pretty tasty! They also serve Jell-O shots, which I didn't try, but I am very intrigued. The bartender was super friendly and attentive, and he made solid drink recommendations. I don't hang around southside very often, but I can imagine heading back down that way to give this place another visit!

We were walking in the area and stumbled upon this place. We have tried a lot of breweries out but…read morehad not been here. I found out that they are based out of Norfolk. They have a pretty good mix of beer types... lager, pilsner, IPA, Ales, etc. My favorite of the ones that I tried was Pilsners are Lagers... It was a good blend of the two. We hung out for a while and the service was good and the crowd was pretty laid back. Not sure loud and annoying. When down there visiting again, I am sure we will stop in for another round. It is only street parking so you may have to look around some but so far it has not been hard.

Just got back from Portugal recently and so good to know that I was able to find a wine shop in RVA…read morethat carries a small selection of Portuguese wines. They are located in the Church Hill area of Richmond, Va. They also offer some cheese, canned fish and meats. The staff was doing a tasting with a vendor when I arrived and they did acknowledge me when I entered. Towards the end, one person stepped away to see if I was ok which I appreciated and she was very friendly. I mentioned that I had been across the street at the Cobra Burger but hadn't noticed them and she advised if you purchase a bottle from them, you can take in the restaurant to drink and they will open for you and waive the corkage fee. I believe they offer tastings but not 100% sure.

I am in love with Second Bottle. I find wine to be a beautiful thing. However, wine can be a little…read moreintimidating at times. Second Bottle takes away all these concerning things and makes it approachable and fun. As is true to wine, each bottle has a story. You have a chance to speed date your bottle by reading the beautiful detailed description around its neck made by the owner. Every bottle in the shop has a mini dive into what to expect from the wine. I think the way the wines are organized here are phenomenal. Marie Kondo would applaud the organization of this wine shop! Each wine is on a shelf labeled with which country or region it's from. There is also a variety of snacks to pick from (fresh baguettes included). Erin, the owner, is what makes this 5 star place deserving of 100 more stars. Her passion for wine and the winemakers is so inspiring. It's owners like her that make wine so special. I'm grateful Church Hill has a gem like Second Bottle. Be sure to try their free tastings on Thursday 5-7pm. Also there is no corkage fee if you want to have a bottle of wine with your burger at Cobra Burger next door. They also do a film and wine series with LC Cinema that I'm obsessed with. Could not recommend this place enough.

Tabol is still great. It's spacious and the deck is nice in a warm day. The staff their is always…read moreso friendly and cheerful. They didn't have any fructoj today, but the tabol biere is a great alternative! It's labeled their wild variety, but it does taste like a sour. Now that the area has developed a bit more, parking can be a little harder to find some weekend nights.

Brewery went from being a gem to becoming get tight lounge 2.0. This place was custom designed and…read moregave really good positive vibes. Beer was also okay but it was more for ambience and how it is in a hidden spot. I used to have burgers here on Thursday which were made by their main cook and were great as well. They went in partner ship with get tight lounge in Richmond. Result is that this brewery looks like just any other brewery. In fact they changed it to look like a total opposite of what they had before. It looks like get tight lounge. I went there once post new ownership. It was like sitting in a dive bar. They fired the old cook who used to make us smile and take time to make a burger and explain his process. All my friends and coworkers stopped going there. Capitalism casualty !!!

Intermission Beer Company in Glen Allen, VA is a great local spot. I visited on a trivia night and…read morewas impressed by how welcoming everyone was. The staff and trivia group were friendly and even invited me to join their team. The taproom has a relaxed and creative vibe with plenty of board games and fun sci-fi and fantasy decor. It reminded me of the early Austin craft brewery scene with an authentic and laid back feel. Their merch also stood out. The shirts were unique and surprisingly affordable. If you enjoy shirts with dogs and beer then get one here! Overall this is a fun brewery with friendly people and a cool atmosphere. I would happily come back and recommend it to anyone in the area or just visiting for work like I was.

I have now tried this place twice with not much luck. Most recently I went in where there was only…read more two other people there. Asked for a sip sample while deciding what to try. Only one ask. I was provided a half sized thimble full of foam. Never got to taste the beer. It was kind of strange to me to have a bar with chairs but still make people go to one place to order and then be instructed where to throw away my sample thimble. Zero welcome, friendliness or guidance. Definitely a negative and non caring customer service vibe. I love trying new places in my travels, but sadly this one wasn't my favorite experience.