We had a reservation for 5:30 yesterday and were attending a concert @ the National which started @ 7:30. We arrived on time (perhaps 5 min early) and were told the table wasn't ready. It wasn't busy and no one was downstairs, but our entire party hadn't assembled so we had a drink at the bar. I ordered their house Mule, which came quickly but it was obvious it hadn't been stirred (b/c I watched him make it). Once stirred, it was fine. we were seated around 5:50 but it took until ~6:10 before the waitress took our drink order. One member of our group ordered a drink which evidently the bartender didn't know how to make...and eventually after 2 different orders they couldn't make, landed on a Manhattan. During the time the waitress returned to discuss his drink order...she didn't engage the table to let us know the status of our drink order. We eventually got our drinks, but the waitress didn't take our food order until prompted. By 6:55 with no food and no updates, I went upstairs and asked for the manager. 5 minutes later he arrived with a bewildered look which leads me to think he wasn't aware that we'd spent over an hour and hadn't eaten and only 1 round of drinks. After explaining the situation, he comp'd the drinks (least he could do) but given it was after 7 and the show started @ 7:30 and we'd not eaten, we canceled the order and a party of 10 walked out. You can probably guess how much they lost; at min 10 entre's + appetizers and 2-4 rounds of drinks. This was an issue of poor communication and bad management. The waitress should have kept us informed of where things stood but she didn't and seemed to avoid us. I don't blame her, though. She could have tables upstairs and may be managing too many. But that's an excuse, not a reason and I blame management. So, I'd recommend NOT going to Vagabond if you're in a hurry, or have a large party, or need anything other than a beer on tap...and even then prepare to wait a bit if there are more than a dozen people in the bar. It's really too bad...great location/atmosphere but poor management will kill a bar more often than bad food. read more

Who is the man at the door ? We were unable to get into the establishment, due to the man at the door being in his feelings about a previous situation. Your establishment should not have emotionally unstable people, who make up their own policies at the door. I was shocked and disturbed that we were unable to get in, we were with a small group, we usually attend with over 10 people. It felt like a power trip, there were no posted signs that said my friends could not return to the establishment for 30 days, that was just a rule he created. Please contact me when you have a new person at the door, so we can continue to enjoy your venue in peace. read more

I had lunch here on a Friday. Server was super friendly and patient (this was our first time here). The grilled Brussels sprouts were delicious - had the perfect blend of seasoning and a hint of cheese. The potato taco was a new dish for me, and I'm glad I ordered it! I will be ordering it again - it was THAT good. My friend and I were there for 2 hours and the server was attentive the entire time, continuously refilling our drinks. The decor is funky, and downstairs looks like the best place to be when dining at night. I highly recommend this place! read more

Came in for a couple apps before a show at the National. We were never served our food - 45 minute wait until we left. Paid $65 for two beers and two vodka sodas. The manager tried to get in my face and explain the timeline. Nice job! read more

We are New Yorkers and experienced all kind of service. But this place caught us unguarded. We got served as celebrates! Lol. Thank you so much Vagabond! The food was delicious! Alabama white smoked wings, mushroom risotto and crab cannelloni tasted like heaven. You made our day. Thank you! read more

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I think the issue here was that I set my expectations unreasonably hi. My excitement had gotten the best of me. Service: our waitress was really nice and courteous. She worked with us for any dietary restrictions as well as kid friendly options. However, when it came to actually being knowledgeable of the menu she didn't know too much. I understand that Vagabond recently came out with a new menu so whatever she didn't know, she asked the kitchen. However the information she came back with was lacking. We explained we are avoiding carbs so we got the ceviche dish(amoungst other things), the menu does not say that the ceviche came with corn chips and despite asking the kitchen for details our waitress failed to get that piece of information. Fortunately the chips went unwasted and were gobbled by the kiddos. Ambience: THIS PLACE IS THE COOLEST PLACE IVE BEEN TO YET. The decor, the space, the furnishings absolutely tickled us. There's this hint of Alice in wonderland theme going on and we loved it. Food/Drink: super fun drink menu with the variety that you'd want going to a place like this. The food though was meh. We got the wedge salad, ceviche, and crabcakes. The crab cakes did come through. They were bomb! Flavorful and crabby! read more

Sad to admit....I've worked next door to Vagabond for nearly two years and have never eaten here for lunch. Stopped by last week to try the new menu. Food was good, portions decent, prices meh. Food is more expensive than other lunch spots downtown which will certainly make vagabond strictly a pay day Friday treat! The owner and new partners seems to still beironing out the details but they appear to be off to a good start. read more

Vagabond - New American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I honestly don't have a lot to go on. We planned to meet friends here for drinks. We ended up having one round, and the other couple wanted to go someplace else less... Refined. The drinks we had were amazing. I ordered an Old Fashioned, and it was so tasty that after letting my girlfriend try it, I had to fight for it back. I wanted to try a Manhattan. Then I discovered that they had Campari, so I wanted to try a Boulevarier. And a Negroni. I will be back the next time I'm in town. And leave my beer-beer-drinking buddies behind. read more

Let me start by saying, can I give his place negative stars? The dining experience started off great. Seated immediately and the hostess poured us waters. Then downhill from here. The server came maybe 5 minutes later and we ordered drinks and our meal at the same time since we were watching a show next door. It took 15-20 minutes for a beer and glass of wine. The wine tasted sour. Typically I would have asked for a new glass or something different. However, I could not because I didn't not see our waitress for 20 more minutes when she brought our food. As soon as it came a gentleman who I assume is the manager asked how everything tasted. Clearly by our untouched plates, we did not know. But needless to say he did not ask if we needed anything else or chose to come back. My glass of wine stayed u touched due to it being undrinkable. Unless of course I wanted a sour feeling stomach. The food tasted mediocre. Both my meals were not finished as with drinks. The fastest part of the night was me handing my credit card over and receiving my receipt to sign. This will likely be at the top of the list of worst places I have ever ate at... read more

We ate at the Vagabond before going to a show at The National. We had a reservation and were seated right away. It took over an hour for our food to arrive. They forgot to place the order for one person at our table. The food was average. The main meals were not served with bread or a small house salad. We won't be going back. read more

Went here as a matter of chance, since I was waiting for someone at The National. The seafood bisque was FANTASTIC, served with a delicious cornbread to die for. Good drinks, good ambiance. Will definitely return. read more

Occasionally I walk into a restaurant that is utterly empty; usually, on those occasions, I walk back out again, sure that the lack of business is due to poor service and/or bad food. Fortunately for me, on this occasion I had a friend with me who had visited Vagabond before, and we stayed for drinks and dinner. And, you guys...it was epic. The bartender slaughtered my favorite cocktail (Old Fashioned, up, with Michters Rye). I had two. So good. The food was excellent--we had the Brussels sprouts as an app (broiled, tart, cheese sprinkled, and toe-curling) and I got Shrimp and Grits that were serviceable. Portion size was a little small, hence the 4 star instead of five. Service was killer. Don't let the emptiness fool you! This place is delicious. read more

Drinks only review: terrible. Sat at the downstairs bar - which feels removed from the main restaurant and is essentially another place altogether - but with the same cocktail menu. Really bad drinks - not sure if the bartenders are just new and inexperienced, or what. EVERY drink tasted like a cinnamon tic tac, except the one made with pork fat-washed bourbon which tasted like, well, grease and liquor. Not in a good way. My fault for even ordering that one. My main complaint is the space itself - it's just too big, too chopped up and weird. Feels like somewhere you'd go while on a long layover in an airport. The transition from the cozy elegance of Magpie to this vast, meandering concept is huge. I guess as long as you don't expect warmth and a see of cohesion, it will be OK. I might go back to try food again, but I am loathe to spend so much money in such an uncomfortable location. read more

Very disappointing. We were looking forward to trying Vagabond since we loved what Owen used to do at Magpie and menu looked great. Pros: great attentive service, interesting cocktails, large portions, beef tartare Cons: spinach foie gras dip was all frozen spinach and no foie gras, didn't give enough bread with dips and tartare, fish du jour was overcooked and sauce overpowered the dish with its sweetness, ribeye was cooked well, but didn't have enough chimichurri sauce and salt, sweet potatoes were mushy and not well seasoned, lemon basil Creme brûlée dessert had a thick layer of impenetrable caramelized sugar and was very bland, table layout awkward for large parties, service was top notch but a little slow, expensive read more

This place is seriously rad, but the parking situation is very very bad. (I had to walk ten minutes from my car to avoid paid parking, as my food came out to around $38+tip, I wanted to try and avoid the marked up parking in this tourist-y part of town if at all possible. Check The National beforehand to see if there's a big show that night, unless you're in walking distance.) Okay, bad stuff over (and that was seriously my only qualm.) The ambiance is big city-chic; lofted with a deceptively large amount of seating, and a very difficult-to-explain but gorgeous and enticing interior (constellations on the walls, beautiful hand-crafted wooden tables, mix-matched awesome lighting fixtures, where every nook and cranny of the restaurant has a different feel to offer.) I HIGHLY recommend a reservation (since it's right next, literally, to The National and has a pretty extensive bar and is right in the center of downtown near all of the metropolitan hotels, every seat seemed to be taken for the entirety of the night; my friend and I left a little after 8 and there were people everywhere on the sidewalk waiting and I did not see a single empty table.) Also, the restaurant can feel a little crowded and loud when it's at high time, so if you don't like high energy places with a lot of people walking around and a lot of coming and going, especially up and down the stairs if you're on the lower section, you may want to find somewhere else... ALL THIS BEING SAID: The service. Most of our party did not show, but our stellar server did not skip a beat because of this- she still worked our table with the care and efficiency as though we were the only ones there. She was so kind and cheerful, knowledgeable and enthusiastic that I felt very comfortable and happy here, and all-in-all, it was an incredibly pleasant dining experience (one of the better ones I've had in a while.) The food came out relatively quick and everything was perfectly seasoned, beautifully plated and perfectly cooked. I started with the Brioche Salad which was pretty substantial, had a great mix of flavors (with the grilled apples, delicious blue cheese and savory house balsamic, as well as large brioche croutons that were popping with flavor!) For my main course, I had their Cubano sandwich special, which was easily the best Cubano I've had in Richmond (she also went above-and-beyond to go in the back and see if they had a bottle of malt vinegar lying around, for the fries, even though she initially didn't think they did. The service is seriously awesome.) The bread was crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, all of the meats meshed so well, awesome grainy mustard, not-rubbery melted cheese and entire slices of great pickles all pressed to perfection! I wish I could get one of those all the time! The dessert stole it for me, though. A kahlua whip-topped caramelized coffee-chocolate mousse with a house sugar cookie crumble topping that was absolutely to-die-for (and a pretty substantial portion; super rich, I could only eat about half after the rest of my meal.) That thing seriously has to be tried to be believed. I thoroughly THOROUGHLY enjoyed it here, and while I came for dinner, they have a pretty extensive Lunch menu as well, so if you're working in the area or passing through, you don't have to wait 'til dinner to experience this place! It's seriously worth putting in the effort to put in a reservation and park; you won't be disappointed. The chef-owner of the Magpie shut down his Richmond staple restaurant to open this up, and I don't miss the Magpie at all after tasting and basking in the ambiance here! I can't wait to come back, and I'm very pleased with this stellar (literally) addition to the exploding Richmond restaurant scene! I came out only wanting more. read more

Vagabond - Insanely amazing Cuban sandwich special, great salad and unbelievable brulee'd coffee-chocolate-kahlua mousse! Seriously awesome food!! - New American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I came here with friends for restaurant week. We loved everything! Location - Parking can be tricky if you come before 6 pm but after there is plenty along broad street. They have a bar upstairs with seating and then a larger dining room in the basement. They have cool decor with star maps painted on the walls. Food - We started with the cheddar beer bread while we looked over the restaurant week menu. It was the perfect portion for a quick snack before dinner. I had the brisket taco (amaze!), lamb shoulder (perfect flavor and tenderness) and s'more (deconstructed but delicious). My friends had the ramen, mushroom risotto, duck breast, and pumpkin milkshake. They too loved everything they had. The duck breast had an amazingly crispy skin! All of the portions were just right. Drinks - great draft beer selection! I'd come back just for that since we split a bottle of wine. I didn't really give the cocktail menu a good look so can't make any comments there. Service - Our service was great. We aren't a needy table so we didn't see her too often. Our glasses stayed full, our food courses were properly timed, and our plates were promptly cleared. I can't say anything negative! Overall it was a lovely restaurant week experience! I would definitely give this place a shot, I know some earlier reviews weren't too kind but it's good to keep in mind that customers are quicker to complain than compliment. read more

Grabbed a drink and appetizer at the bar with friends after work. Bartender was friendly and speedy. Gotta love $2 off beer, wine, and craft cocktails. Limited but very solid selection of craft beer on tap. Cocktail list had me wanting to return. LOVED my drink, alas didnt take a picture, but it was made with rhum and citrus. Get it. We tried the fois gras spinach dip, which was delicious -- warm, creamy, pureed fresh spinach with a hint of richness from the FG but not at all overpowering. Comes with toasted french bread slices, and they kindly brought us extra upon request. read more

High class food, high class prices, low quality portions. I had my initial doubts when I was told that the menu I had seen online was NOT the menu available because that was "the winter menu". Well it is May and Spring started three months ago and summer is just around the corner so you may want to get on that! The portions we received were medium sized, all from the specials menu, but the roasted rabbit salad had a few sprinklings of meat and my lamb shoulder tostada was a single small tostada. Not what we expected at all. They have a long list of wine and beer and cocktails, but the food variety is rather sparse. I would have liked to see fewer drink options and more dinner options given that the entire downstairs is for food. Overall, the business is trying too hard to be too many things. Gourmet restaurant with crafted seasonal menu, but very limited options that are too small and a bit too over seasoned. Plenty of beverage options but there's a tiny bar area. read more

Lunch only review: Vagabond was a wonderful surprise for a weekday lunch with friends. The bento box option is not your traditional box instead it is full of unique flavors and even comes with a cupcake. The salads are the perfect light fair and the soup is so good we asked if we could get it to go so that we can pop in regularly for it. I can't wait to go back and try the dinner soon! read more

FINALLY somebody gets in this space, and does something well! Had a great meal - a green salad with some really terrific ruffles'n'flourishes, including a kalamata vinaigrette, and their roasted fish, both of which were yummy - and a superbly crafted martini. I look forward to repeat visits! read more

Vagabond - The aforementioned green salad. - New American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Location is everything...right next to The National....food and drinks are solid. Reasonable pricing too.

We were there on May 12, 2017. To be honest, I did not make reservations because when I checked Yelp at 2:00 pm all time slots were available for a party of six, so, I thought it would not be an issue if we just showed up after my daughter's college graduation ceremony was over. We got there at around 7:45 and were told it would be about a 30-40 minute wait. The hostess said she check and see if she could get us in sooner. We were told to wait while she checked. She left for ten minutes, came back, never mentioned if we could get in sooner but did say we could wait by the bar. No problem, we figured that by the time we finished our drinks we'd be seated for dinner. That's when things went downhill quickly. It took us over half an hour to get drinks. The bar was out of ginger ale, ingredients to drinks and most beers. Seriously? It's Friday night and you don't have a fully stocked bar? Since we had so much time to look around and half empty restaurant, we could figure out that they were having a bad night, from where we were sitting, we could clearly see a table for six that was sitting empty. We saw people wait over 40 minutes to get their food, people coming up from the basement to go to the bar to attempt to get a drink. The hostess, left her station at the front, and hung out at the bar - not helping, just hanging out. In the meanwhile, we witnessed three different groups come in (two couples and a group of four), patiently wait for a non-existent hostess, and then leave. As far as we know, the hostess never returned to the front of the restaurant. While waiting to order drinks (and then try to get them), my husband had the opportunity to talk to the customers who had come upstairs to order drinks. No one was satisfied with the level of service they were getting. Food was very slow to come out of the kitchen (we had time to watch the snails pace at which people were getting served). None of the customers who came from the basement had gotten their food and they'd been waiting for over an hour. Dissatisfaction and complaints all around. After waiting a full hour and never seeing our hostess, we decided it wasn't worth the wait. My daughter, talked to the hostess at the bar, to let them know we were leaving and how disappointed we were that they made no attempt to seat us. The hostess replied that we should have made reservations, in a very rude manner. Who in their right mind would want to make reservations for a rude hostess, under-stocked bar, long waits for drinks and food and slow service. We used to like The Vagabond, but they need to rethink how they treat customers and their overall level of service. Owen, you made a good decision by leaving. read more

We ate here tonight before the the Coheed & Cambria concert. One word. AMAZING. My husband and I started off with a Pumpking beer. We ordered the cheese beer bread with honey butter. So good! For our main course we both ordered the goat tacos. I have never eaten goat but I was so curious, I had to do it. They were, hands down, the BEST tacos I've ever had. My husband loved them as well. We weren't going to order dessert, but....they had a bacon crumb cornbread cake. SAY WHAT??? You had us at bacon. That too, was delicious. Seriously, check this place out. There are quite a few different menu items that you won't find at that boring chain steakhouse. We can't wait to go back! read more

Vagabond - Goat tacos - New American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I had the pleasure of visiting this restaurant Saturday night and I had an amazing time

We went to Vagabond because it had mama j's cuisine. I had been there before and it is a beautiful restaurant. But it ain't mamma j's. I am not sure which is worse-paying $8 for 6 less than done chicken wings or $12 for 6 overdone shrimp. read more

I went there for dinner before going to a show at The National and it was the 2nd day after re-opening. The food was great, however policy of not substituting sides was a little disappointing. The staff was friendly and genuine. The drinks and beer selections were more than adequate. I understand that the food and drink menus are in their infancy and being added to. If you order dinner before seeing a show at the National, they can escort you into the venue 15 minutes before the doors open through the downstairs bar (former Speakeasy). read more

Everything. -- and I mean everything -- we had was on point. Great spot for traditional Southern soul food. Try the catfish! read more

I work around the corner from this place but have a difficult time determining their hours of operation. I visited one night during the week around 9pm and they were closed. They are closed during the lunch hour too. Hmmm so when are they open? Friday night I was able to see life and movement in the building at 10pm but still no hours posted on the door. This place's decor is quirky and warm. It'd be a great place for a night out or even a date. The space has several bars located on different floors which is convenient. What's not cool is the ambiguous hours of operation. read more

Tried Vagabond on a whim and was not disappointed! Huge portions, and the food was delicious. I had the fried catfish and it was excellent!

Food was great. Service even better. We took advantage of the Early In Program so we could catch the show next door. Great idea!

My wife and I stopped in a few nights ago as we had heard it was re-opened under management having ties to the previous Magpie which had such stellar reviews. Our experience wasn't terrible, we were just a bit underwhelmed. In general, we expected the dishes to have more flavor. We ordered the turnips, arugula salad, tacos du jour (which were short rib tacos), and the short ribs. I would say we both enjoyed the tacos. The other dishes, unfortunately, failed to impress. The purée included with the turnip dish didn't really do much to flavor the turnips. The salad was fine. The short ribs were a bit strange in the sense they were sliced more like a flank steak and was more dry than typical short ribs which tend to be moist and falling off the bone. We ended with the lemon cream which was a lemon infused creme brûlée. The dish was pretty good, but I wish we would have tried the apple crumble (I believe that's what it was). That said, the service was excellent and the cocktails were on point. read more

Don't plan on enjoying a meal before a concert at the National. The 5 of us arrived at 5:15pm with 2 meals being served at 6:15pm and the other 3 at 6:25pm. Line forms downstairs at 6:30pm for early entrance to the National at 6:45pm (There is also a cutoff time shortly thereafter). I had read the reviews about the slow service but thought an hour and a half should be good. Met another couple while waiting for the concert to begin and they were to pick their meals up AFTER the show as they were never served. If you do eat there before the show, go for appetizers and drinks only. Supposedly you need to spend $15 in the restaurant in order to get early admission but that policy is easily avoided as there were a few folks that came in and ordered a drink, then proceeded downstairs for the early entrance mingling in with the people that actually followed the rules by spending their time and money at Vagabond. Vagabond does not have to concern itself with their service since they are guaranteed a steady supply of one time only customers that want to take advantage of the early admission to the concerts. read more

Eclectic dinner. Cool vibe to the place. Enjoyed it! Team dinner with 10 people. Sat downstairs in the little cove of a table to the right of the stairs. Personally made a dinner of appetizers. Smoked Wings. Cauliflower. Pork Tacos. Mmmmm. Also enjoyed the Steam Buns too. Pleasant staff. Service was much too slow on the front end. I'm guessing growing pains. They proactively bought us a round a drinks to compensate ... which was nice. Looking forward to going back and trying some other items. Next to the National and close to the Coliseum so give that some thought if there's a show. read more

The elite event last night was hosted in their speakeasy bar down the stairs. The room was dark and authentic but it didn't feel cramped at all, even with a big crowd in it. The cocktails I've tried were all delicious, especially the whiskey and bourbon based ones. FYI I love bourbon-based cocktails so I highly recommend their old fashioned. The restaurant served some small amuse-bouche tapas that were all very tasty. The lamb shoulder nachos and scallion topped pulled pork canapés were my favourite. From my first experience, this place looks like a very promising hip corner restaurant. I am looking forward to try it for a proper dinner experience next time. read more

First let me start by saying that this particular review is not likely a fair assessment of the restaurant because I did not end up ordering a meal. The reason was nothing on the menu appealed to me. The fish of the day was Rockfish and I wasn't interested. They also had a beef burger, duck, rabbit, gnocchi and a maybe another few options. The food may very well be awesome but i give it 3 stars because the options were so limited (in my humble opinion). The only thing I did have was the bruschetta which was very tasty. I enjoyed it. As far as the restaurant itself is concerned I loved how much natural lighted entered the space due to the large windows. It was a cute nicely decorated restaurant but unfortunately there was virtually no one there. Though its downtown Richmond which is a quiet city after working hours. If you have an exotic palate and if the food tastes as good as the bruschetta then you will enjoy it! I wish I could've. read more

I am quite a fan of chef Owen Lane and was bummed when Magpie was closed.I was thrilled to hear he was opening up a new spot, and it's definitely very great. The menu is similar to Magpie, game meats and creative combinations. The steak tartare is one of the best I've had, and I also had the venison which was tasty. Service is on point, casual and precise. Chef, if you read this - PLEASE BRING BACK THE CHICKEN FRIED PHEASANT FROM MAGPIE!! read more

This restaurant is not a bad place to grab a drink and a bite to eat before catching a show at the music venue next door. The restaurant is clean, and the decor is trendy. The staff has always been friendly and inviting. I can't speak too much about the food because I've always visited to have drinks before a show, but everyone around me seems to be enjoying their meals. The drinks are moderately priced and made generously. read more

Saturday night dinner, date night with my husband. Easter weekend wanted a nice dinner in Richmond after just returning from spring break; 5 days in the Florida Panhandle with family. Vagabond was crowded when we walked in and a little short on staff. We waited a little longer than we should have for the staff to get to our table but that was okay because Vagabond's management went the extra mile to make us feel like important diners for the remainder of our evening. Food was excellent, a magnificent presentation of delicious, flavors and seasonings. Cocktails were beautifully crafted; distinctive quality of lovely infused ingredients. The manager really made our evening enjoyable, we will never forget him and we thank him for a wonderful Saturday night dinner in Richmond. We will be back soon! read more

Good food in an attractive space. Not quite Magpie though.

I'm giving this 4 stars, but I would say it's closer to 3.5. I thought the food was solid but not spectacular. I had the pork cheek taco, the mixed green salad, the au poivre ribeye and the butternut scotch bread budding and some cocktails. I sat at the bar. The taco was good for a new American restaurant. The mixed green salad was huge -- was it an entree -- and I did not enjoy the olive vinegrette. It was just a huge pile of greens. The steak was good but ... I know it was a ribeye, but I could not eat about 25% of it which was just fat. I love marbling but this was inedible and really reduced the amount that I could eat. The bread pudding was fantastic. The cocktails -- Manhattans -- were very well made. I thought the service was a touch too casual for my taste. It seemed like the staff spent just a little too much time socializing with themselves. The restaurant was not busy, but I did feel like my experience suffered b/c the servers were engaged in their own conversation. I guess this place is a "great" restaurant for Richmond. I think it would compete OK in a bigger city but no one would be calling it the best or great. I'm still giving it 4 stars and I had a very nice meal and frankly I'd go back again ... but I was slightly underwhelmed having read previous reviews. read more

Vagabond - Ribeye Au Poivre ... I know it's a ribeye but the whole inch on the right is fat. - New American Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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