Amuse Restaurant VMFA in Richmond

What a Great dining experience. Wonderful food, excellent service, very nice atmosphere. Ill be back.

Was waiting at the hostess booth for several minutes and was not acknowledged by any staff, despite them walking back and forth and seeing me waiting there. They did not acknowledge me, or tell me that the hostess would be back soon or make an effort to find the hostess. Terrible customer service. Brown people apparently not welcome. Bartender was great. Food was bland.

Pleasant surprise. The food was exquisite. We went in for a late lunch. It felt like we were the only ones in the place. Excellent quality ingredients, prepared well, presented beautifully, served courteous. I was pleased. I was treated for my birthday, so I didnt pay any attention to the cost, but Ill return. Parking: Parking in Carytown is always a crapshoot. You may have to walk a couple of blocks, but big deal. The shop windows and the denizens of the neighborhood are eye candy.

Went here for a date night you cannot have a more romantic setting in the Virginia fine arts museum both inside and out is just beautiful we enjoyed the exhibit went for dinner. It was really awesome that they incorporated the Japanese theme into the menu. The food was 10 out of 10. We cannot wait for our next date night here.

Fantastic food in a unique atmosphere with an amazing view.

Dont let that monstrosity (rumors of war) outside deter you; this is a very good art museum. This is to include several Van Goghs, a breathtaking collection of Faberge eggs and one of only two full length Caligula statues left in the world.

I was excited to take my Mom here for the tasting menu available on Wednesday nights. It coincided with the Samurai exhibit for her Mother s Day outing this year. She had been a member of the museum for years back when she resided in Richmond and remembered the restaurant being good. Well let me tell you, it was not. Our waiter was not welcoming, the food was tasteless and overcooked. What a huge disappointment. The Samurai exhibit was amazing! Highly recommend. just eat elsewhere after.

Food was delicious .. Really enjoyed it.. Glad this place was there for a pitstop.. Keylime pie.. yes.. Food

Lovely Lunch Spot at the Museum. Missed out on the Ramen bowls, but the salad and chicken were great options.

My wife & I were told to check it out an so glad we did very neat experience to look at the museum & the food was amazing !

What a pleasure to dine right inside the museum

Beautiful view. Incredibly delicious food.

Always enjoy our meals at Amuse! Dietary restrictions: They are very accommodating for our daughters allergies and restrictions. Food : 5/5 |

The food was excellent!

Bartender Chris was very nice and knowledgeable about the menu as well as museum comings and going s. Will definitely be coming back here!

Most enjoyable restaurant in Richmond, VA. Excels every which way, encouraging us to frequent repeatedly. Food

My daughter took me here for dinner before we went to see Dancing with the stars at Altria Theater. Will definitely come back .

Great place for a meal and a VMFA visit Dietary restrictions: They offer Vegan, gluten and dairy free options and they can help with other food restrictions too Food : 5/5 |

To me the best aspect of this place is the atmosphere. A beautiful dinning room with plenty of windows and a gorgeous view. And extra points its inside of the museum. The menu is small but sophisticated with plenty of local resourced food. The food was good and the home made soda tasted fresh. For sure left me wanting to visit it again.

Excellent food, great service and very spacious.

Lovely lunch, great company and atmosphere.

An unexpected delight atop the wonderful museum. Very fine food with excellent attentive service.

Amuse is my fav place in Richmond. It is lgbt friendly, the drinks are so good, and the bartender always takes of the customers so well. I have always felt the care they put in making the specific drinks that I asked.

Nice area

Fancy, artsy, wonderful views

We used the Amuse private dining room for our rehearsal dinner and we could not have loved it more! Nikia Lemaire, the assistant general manager, could not have been more lovely or helpful. She made planning this such a breeze and it definitely would not have been the same without her help. Our guests really enjoyed the views from the private room and having access to the balcony. The server we had that evening also was wonderful and made it an easy experience. I would definitely use them again for any private events.

Great view..great menu..tasty food Good service ..Amuse for delicious meal Food : 5/5

Great place to relax and have a bite to eat. The view is awesome

I love that they use locally sourced ingredients

Best food of our visit to Richmond. Very expensive but worth it. The special ice cream was the best ever.

Fine arts and fine dining go together perfectly. If only more museums put two and two together. PERFECT date idea. Vegetarian options: Lots of elevated vegetarian options.

Good cocktails and good times!

Innovative fresh flavors and an idyllic environment. The spring/summer vegetables were incredible. The cabbage salad is a must try with its vinaigrette and peppermint leaves.

Love this place.

The food is excellent. I was at an event. The atmosphere is very nice with a good view. During the day, the food is very good. The service is excellent.

A wonderful indulgence on a museum visit. Casual but elevated, we enjoyed a late Sunday brunch. The service was friendly and the food delicious. Reservations are advised.

Wonderful terrace, excellent food

Great place to hang out with friends and family !After a long day to check out the arts tour!!

Delicious soup, crab cake appetizer, and swordfish entree with squash and eggplant hummus and relish.

Excellent place to grab a meal or a happy hour drink. Dont be afraid to bring a date

Had a wonderful lunch with 5 friends. Wonderful service. Great food. Loved the tomato tart, black truffle eggs, and peach pancakes.

Went for brunch, and sat by the window. Tge atmosphere is lovely and the server was very knowledgeable. Will be back!

Lovely place to enjoy a meal. Always excellent service.

The food at Amuse is simply divine. The waitstaff member that handle our table was awesome! She was tipped well! Thank you for your professional service! The overall atmosphere at Amuse is nice, comfortable. This was our 3rd time dining at Amuse. We had a great time celebrating our Mothers birthday, except for the two girls posted up at the concierge desk that were gawking at the table of African American women the whole time. Its the calling security on our Mothers Birthday Balloons, telling her she had to leave them at the concierge desk for security to walk them down himself, from fear that they would set off the sprinkler system. And that we could wait for them (our Mothers birthday balloons) downstairs and then security returning the flower and candy attached to them damaged and dismantled that gets Amuse the one star. We frequent VMFA often. We wont come again to Amuse, though. And we will tell everyone we know how we were treated today. Its 2023, Do Better and Hire Better!

Great food, friendly staff, and beautiful views!

Excellent experience enjoying brunch at Amuse. The setting is lovely, service was excellent, and meal was outstanding. Highly recommend!

I had the Coq au Vin.. Horribly old and dried out.

Took in Sunday brunch before visiting exhibition. Socially distanced and wait staff in masks. Small but diverse menu. Had lamb tostada and sweet potato and crab soup both delicious. Great service and enjoyed lovely view of VMFA grounds through very clean window.

Great atmosphere and very good food. You must go!

Super cute spot. Cheese and drinks were perf

Another fabulous meal at Amuse. One of my favorite restaurants in RVA.

Our experience was an absolute delight. Every dish was delicious and felt special without being pretentious. Service was friendly and helpful; the space is airy and comfortable. Fabulous cocktails!

The selections are good & so the food & services.

Blatant transphobia. Came here with a friend was told they are no longer serving. By an extremely rude host Calked the front desk. Open & serving till 4:30pm. They apparently only want bouji chads & yuppies here. Will not ever come back.

Excellent gourmet lunch, lovely room, very good Service.

Delightful, refreshing fare with good service. Rested and fed we took in another exhibit after lunch. I recommend Amuse.

Vegetarian options: Lovely space with a view and excellent food and service.

Awesome food and views.

Amazing Food

Excellent food, service, and a really cool space with great views!

Absolutely splendid! My wife took me out for a Birthday Brunch and although weve been VMFA members for years, our first visit to Amuse. Beet Salad, Fried Oysters, incredible French Fries. Very attentive, friendly service and attention. Of course the view of the museum grounds was sublime. The entire menu looked fabulous, unusual ingredients, reasonable prices for such fine dishes---and elegant dinnerware and presentation. We will, of course be back.

The food was amazing! Great veiw! And did I say the food was amazing. Also a great price!

A spectacular lunch before a really interesting tour through the Cultural Museum. Service was awesome. Would love to return soon!

Unusually loud last time I was there. Food is great, therefore, will try again.

Tasty food and wine with a great view. Warm and helpful staff

Kid-friendliness: I see kids in there and they enjoy

I always love going to Amuse...it completes the museum visit perfectly!

Excellent.

Very good restaurant inside the museum Good food and dishes Good service Bright view of gardens

Excellent meal in a beautiful environment. Extreme care in terms of covid-19 protocols.

The view and the deck are worth the visit, but the food and drink is good, too.

Surprisingly good. Fair prices.

I had the roast leg of lamb last night. It was the worst I ve ever had . The appearance of the meal was off putting. The meat was sliced and heaped unattractively on the plate along with overcooked green beans and burnt potato wedges. The meat appeared stale , dull grey, dry and leathery in appearance and was tasteless. It was served in an equally tasteless broth. I wondered if the meat was pulled out of the freezer and reheated ? I was very disappointed with my dinner and would not have expected such a lousy meal from a restaurant like Amuse.

This place has bounced back, best place to watch a sunset in Richmond

Beautiful setting for private lunch! Just enough food to satisfy you but not enough for leftovers!

Great food, great people, great views if you get there right when they open, inside a great museum, good location, we found free street parking on N. Arthur Ashe Blvd, seems to be part of a university campus,

Have been here for a few times for lunch and brunch and it never disappoints. I loved the quiche last time I was there. The eggs were nice and fluffy and the crust was just right. The service is prompt and friendly. This place is truly a hidden gem in Richmond.

The staff were all wearing masks, the tables were distanced, AND the food was great! The servers were prompt and the atmosphere was delightful. We finished with the blueberry cake and loved it!

The food and drinks were thoughtfully made - and it shows! Will be returning :)

Oh, my, where to start? We had a fabulous lunch yesterday - étouffé, crab cakes, and steak. My steak was perfectly medium rare, set atop an incredibly delicious mound of mashed potatoes - my mouth is watering just thinking about them. The crab cakes had very little filler, and the asparagus was delectably al dente. Only two small hitches in the entire meal - my husband said his étouffé needed a bit more spice, and my Pimms cup was overwhelmed by the ginger beer - couldnt ascertain any St. Germain or cucumber. (The pour was extremely generous, however.) Service was impeccable, friendly and professional. Im very much looking forward to my next visit.

Great atmosphere and terrific food. It was very pricey, but the serving sizes were ample. Perfect for special occasions.

Rooftop patio classy dinner woot woot! Amazing service above and beyond. Food was delectable, all sorts of delicious appetizers and drinks and desserts. Would definitely return. Also a beautiful place from which to view the sunset!

Disclaimer: Wonderful establishment, great food. However... Today is Friday July 9th and I visited the restaurant at 5pm. I was discriminated against by a host. I did not care to ask for her full name. Details: I requested seating for 1 as I normally do. I was told that there was no seating available, and I wouldn t be able to be served today as they were all booked up. No offer of later service, no wait time, no contact request, just no service. I walked around the exhibits and returned as this was the first time I had received this type of response from the restaurant. On the second interaction there seemed to be a change in if I could be seated or not. The host gave a reluctant pause, looked at her computer and said yea, no seating, you ll just have to come again another day . I said that this was the first time I was not being seated and given no options other than come other day and I wanted to be sure that I was being told the truth and not being discriminated against. She told me she d rather have cool guests like me in the restaurant at any given time. I did not understand. I asked if could I speak with a manager. And she said what most all people providing bad customer service say. The manager is in a meeting . And we all know why people say that. After feeling slighted, I returned a 3rd time, she said she could take my number and call me if a table became available. She shakily wrote my name and number on a paper. 10 min later I received a phone call that I could be seated at anytime that I want to come in that evening. I had the curry fried oysters, Cabernet, and profiteroles

Excellent food and service. We walked in on Thursday evening without a reservation and was pleasantly accommodated. Great wine selections. Loved the duck breast, salmon, and mussels. I had one of the best margaritas Ive ever had in Richmond! Bartender came to our table to discuss wine selections. Love the profiteroles for dessert, it was perfect to share. Portions were filling, well definitely be returning.

Love amuse. Menu is creative. Food is great. Fun cocktails and good wine selection. Good for vegetarians and carnivores. Great wall of windows lets in plenty of light.

My friend and I went to the Ansel Adams exhibit last Friday night. We completed the exhibit at 7:30 pm and decided to go to Amuse for a cocktail before leaving the museum. Amuse was open until 8:30 pm. On our arrival the hostess told us that, they were full for the night . Looking around there were several tables open including a table for 2 right in front of the bar. I told her that we just wanted a drink, and she said that the Cafe was open downstairs. Despite several available table, we were summarily dismissed to the Cafe where by the way, we were treated very politely.

We came here for brunch on Sunday. I only wish it opened at 11 instead of 11:30. Good thing we got here a couple minutes before it opened because we did not have reservations. The restaurant went from being empty to almost full very quickly! Our server was informative and did a great job. Their brunch menu had some good choices. A welcome surprise was complimentary chunks of soft bread with fruit in it, one for each of us that came out before our meal. For brunch, we went with the quiche and the stuffed apple French toast. Portions were much bigger than expected! Very generous. The quiche was divine so soft and it practically melted in your mouth. It came with some salad greens. Stuffed French toast was like a sandwich, and it also came with bacon and tiny square-shaped cut apples around it. Dessert was the chocolate tarte which was a square shaped chocolate mouse with raspberry sauce around it and a scoop of cream with a raspberry on top. It s one of my favorite brunch places thus far.

Our VMFA reception was catered by the amuse Restaurant, attached to the VMFA, and it was INCREDIBLE. the food was absolutely tremendous, fresh, seasonal, and cooked perfectly. Plating was gorgeous, the portions were a perfect size, and they worked with me flexibly and professionally to change a menu item I wasnt a fan of, so that I loved everything on the plate. As this is the catering through VMFA, if youre considering it, you wont be disappointed

Always a great experience and good food. Valentines at Amuse. I sure feel the love. Oysters and Lamb with a meritage. Shared chocolate pate. Heaven.

Thanks to a bartender who took the time to listen to the things I enjoyed, I decided to have lunch at the wonderful Amuse Restaurant, located on the top level of the museum overlooking their beautiful grounds. The space is flooded with natural light that immediately lifts your spirits, and prepares you for your amazing meal and cocktails. Perfect for a small group or large. Just remember to make a reservation!

Great food and lovely setting.

Even after, our grandson came in to personally rely our concern to the chef, the fact that our evening meal...cast iron pork chop with gumbo made both of us violently Ill, our food poisoning seemed to be of no.concern to anyone

to use my mask every-time my server came by my table. I sat with my eight month old son waiting for my guest whom I invited. I felt anxiety every time I took my mask off to sip water. Scared I would be reprimanded because my waitress had not come by yet. Then through the meal I was nervous every time the waitress came to check on us. I understand we are suppose to wear mask. People have equated it to wearing a seatbelt. Yet I argue that wearing a seatbelt had never caused anxiety and fear. It hasn t caused depression and isolation. Going out to eat is one pleasure that hasn t been taken so I thought. I wouldn t recommend coming to this restaurant. Save your money and be at ease in your own home.

Great fine dining restaurant located on the third floor of the museum.

Very nice

Delicious best meal in Richmond. Great service. Amazing views. Can t beat it.

Love how the cuisine is paired with the featured exhibit! The lamb shank with fried plantains was delicious. Do not miss the craft cocktails!

The menu offers a somewhat limited selection of entrees and appetizers that strike me as trying to be a little too clever and cutting-edge sacrificing spices and flavors and textures that do actually compliment and are enjoyable to eat. That concept flows over into the specialty cocktail drink menu as well. I think its lovely to offer a few of those items as options but not as a predominant.. that limits your selection to the point that youre almost forced to choose something mundane in order to avoid wasting $30 on an entree that you may not like at all. Service was very good. Ambiance was nice though my eye did Keep darting to the dangling cobwebs hanging from the light fixtures above

Great view. Amazing cocktails. Good food with vegetarian and gluten free options. Service was very helpful when I forgot my credit card.

A bit slow in service today but generally a lovely place to go for lunch or dinner with friends.

I love the atmosphere, friendly service and good cooking...

I love Amuse! The food, the service, and the atmosphere are wonderful!

Excellent! We were impressed by the menu choices and the quality as well as the views. Lovely spot. We would go out of our way to go back!

Perfect portions for a reasonable price.

Love Amuse. Weve visited this restaurant several times. I dont think we have had any complaints. The staff is wonderful, the drinks are creative, and the food is great.

Consistently rated as one of the top fine dining restaurants in Richmond, Amuse serves creative dishes in a delightful setting, within the Virginia Musem of Fine Art. There are two dining rooms indoors, an adjacent bar area, and a large outdoor balcony for dining as well. It is only open limited evenings during the week, and it is best to make reservations.

Charming venue conveniently located in the Fine Art Museum. The dining room is well lit by floor to ceiling windows overlooking the Poly. There is a nice balcony with seating when the weather is mild. I would not call the portions generous but nor were they overpriced--about $14-18 per entree. Enjoyed the fresh ingredients and creative menu. I have only one criticism which is noted below but would still recommend this restaurant and do intend to visit again and explore the offerings further =) It was the perfect place to rest and recharge between galleries. [One star docked for a certain mushroom to gnocchi ratio...the chef created the most **divine** mustard gnocchi and only 5-6 of them ended up on the plate (which was otherwise covered in mushrooms), and this was a true tragedy.]

Intimate. Views that let you fold into the outside beauty. Excellent service (William Joseph aka Billy Jo) is sheer entertainment while delivering premium service. Food... always edgy while not over the top.

Upscale restaurant in the VMFA, nice drinks, good food.

The food was great,and the atmosphere was also

Service was great and food was as well

Great learning experience the people were great and the after exhibition food and drink was delicious.

This restaurant goes hand-in-hand with the art museum it sits on top of! Beautiful, natural lit location with fantastic decor. The menu was a bit limiting, and the options werent as tasty as we thought they would be, but it was still good food with great atmosphere and staff!

Amazing as always

The meal and ambiance were fantastic. I can see myself going back to the museum for another visit.

Terrific staff, great food. Awesome bar and bartenders. Make a reservation. The menu is seasonal but we always love the pot pie, mussels, lamb shank, and veggie chili!

This is an awesome place I had the Chicken fried steak! OMG it was amazing and the collard greens! They done an amazing job! I will be taking this memory to the grave with me!

Enjoyed the meal. Fantastic wait staff. Who knew the art museum would have great food too?

Pricey and worth it!!! Steve is the best! Ask for Steve! Also get the cheese plate. Just do it.

Great atmosphere, perfect for gatherings, beautiful food

If you like the museum, youll love Amuse

We were there for a wedding reception so we did not quite experience the restaurant itself, but the food and all services were excellent. I would like to go back sometime to experience this restaurant in its entirety

I am a member of VMFA, and I love Amuse when I come with my family. However, I have been extremely disappointed when I have gone on my own as I have been discriminated because of my age multiple times. I am a young professional, but the waiters only give their attention to older folks at this location. I am a loyal customer when I am treated with equal respect, but after being treated unfairly because of my age multiple times I will not be supporting this location any longer. It s a shame!

Nice place! Great food!

We werent sure what to expect from a restaurant inside a museum, but it turned out to be great. The food was excellent and we thought it was neat that their cocktail menu changes depending on the visiting exhibits in the museum. Thats a neat touch and helps make us interested in seeing what they come up with for future exhibits. Overall we were pleasantly surprised by the quality and will keep it in mind for future visits to the VMFA.

New and unique items on the menu every time I go. A great place to try things you wont see on other menus.

The best mussels, frites and bread I ve ever had!

We had the special of the day, the Lamb Bake. One of the most incredible dishes Ive ever had the pleasure to eat. I want more!

Beautiful venue. Wonderful delicious food. Excellent service provided.

Great food and wonderful wait staff

Great food and sevice. Definitely a 5 star restaurant.

I was in town for business and thanks to trip advisor found this gem in the heart of Richmond and it would definitely rank among the greatest culinary adventures of my life. Ive never had better service or food anywhere else coast to coast and the architecture is worth a visit all by itself

Fun spot to hang out or grab a bite, gets pretty packed on the weekends. Weekdays music isnt loud, so you can communicate and chat.

Great little restaurant with very attentive waiters. The food was excellent and the atmosphere was great!

On the food front, Chef Sparatta is throwing down some damn love in the kitchen.

Wonderful food, fantastic drinks, and excellent service! This place is a gem.

It was the celebration Food was great service was wonderful

Wonderful ambience, luvly view of the grounds; really enjoyed tge soft shell crab and hanger steak. The Ives S Laurent exhibit is very nice.

We sat outside overlooking the lawn while the sun was setting. Paired with great food from this restaurant. Why wouldnt anyone want to enjoy the experience.

Excellent service, creative food, and a lovely atmosphere make this place a must go when in downtown Richmond.

Love this place! Have been several times and the food is beautifully presented and prepared by an A+ chef. Will continue to visit. The mussels are best in all of Richmond, that I have tasted. I have never been disappointed dining at Amuse.

Delicious and eclectic food, artistically presented, in a serene setting.

Contemporary, upscale, and delicious....rivals what I find in California fine dining!

My Father and I had a wonderful lunch here after seeing Native American Art, Faberge wonders, and glorious Art Nouveau. From a supportive seating feel through bread, sea bass cassolet (quite alliterative!), and espresso (properly accompanied with lemon) it was the perfect conclusion to our Museum visit.

Place is pretty delicious and the drinks are good too

Incredible views of the VMFA sculpture garden and incredible food. Not the most appealing atmosphere, it almost comes across is cheap and quickly put together but the service and food takes your mind off of that

The food was good and the same thing goes for the views. My wife seemed to have enjoyed it more than I did, maybe it was because I felt like Mexican that day.

Delicious and artistically plated food, very attentive service. Great atmosphere. If you are visiting the VMFA make a reservation and eat at Amuse! I always look forward to a wonderful meal and experience here.

Artistic and delicious. The view is wonderful

Quiet and good service. A bit expensive and could use a better beer menu, but a nice place to hang out sooner while visiting a great museum.

A fancy restaurant within The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Open daily for lunch but only open Thursdays and Fridays for dinner.

Outstanding

We like to stop by Amuse whenever we come to the VMFA. Looking out over the grounds can be very entertaining!

Great mimosa! !

Ive been there many times. Love it very much. They change their menu quite often so I did not have the same order every time. I actually this unpredictable factor although I could sometimes have something I dont like. I dont think that their fault though. So the variety of choices of food is not the feature of this restaurant, the variability is. If you like adventuring and exploring to something unknown to art, you know taking some bizarre food isnt a bad idea dining in a fine art museum. Besides, you can enjoy the sooth atmosphere and bright sunshine, just like you are one of the characters in the painting. Is it a great place you want to be dining in?

I always enjoy my time here. The entire wall is a window which over looks the back of the museum and is quite picturesque. The menu is different everytime that I attend - that includes the cocktail menu - which is always a fabulous surprise. I have never been disappointed with food. I dont want to use the phrase heavy-handd with respect to the cocktails because they are always balanced, but I will say that I only ever take just one.