La Grotta Ristorante in Richmond

I want to give a good review because the food was delicious but the service was terrible tonight. The server was super aloof, inattentive and frazzled. They were busy but even when it slowed he still had no desire in attending to our table. Disappointing because the food was delicious. Not an experience I want to revisit!

worst customer service I have ever dealt with, Wrongly charged my card $300, the money was already paid by someone else. This happened one month ago and they still haven t given me a receipt for the charge nor refund my card. The lady manager Andrea sounds like she doesn t know what she is doing regarding money refunds etc, don t listen to understand but to respond, keeps talking to me like if I was exaggerating over $300 I don t wanna keep your money while not solving the issue in a month. I have talked to them many times and every time I call it sounds like if it was the first time they heard about it. I have never dealt with worse customer service. And that lady knows nothing about business etiquette and how to spend to others in a professional manner.

We had Roger as a waiter for our anniversary and he was the best server I have ever had in any restaurant. Easily made the experience 5xs more enjoyable

Yes, adding chicken to a salad was not on the menu but as a waiter, if there were to be an excessive overcharge to add chicken to a salad I should have been advised. A $30 up charge for 1 piece of chicken is absurd. And with alarms blasting, we were never even advised if we should evacuate or leave leaving our safety in question and again.. over an hour wait for sub par food?? Not acceptable.

Filet with Peppercorns was excellent. The steak was tender and well seasoned. The atmosphere at this establishment is always classy. You will not be disappointed.

This was our first visit to LaGrotta. The food was wonderful and our server, Oliver, was excellent! We will come back!

La Grotta is always a delight, alllllll around!

Professional service. Veal with shitake mushroom is yummy.

First of all call for reservations! We were lucky that they were able to fit us on the hightop even though we did not have a reservation. The food is great as is the service. I would recommend this place for a nice Italian meal.

Roger was the best waiter we EVER had and was a perfect compliment to the delicious food and warm atmosphere. We love La Grotta! Food

La Grotta never fails to provide a lovely dining experience. The food, service and ambiance are always outstanding and make for a memorable evening every visit. Parking: Even with events happening in the nearby Dominion theatre, Ive never had a problem finding a place to park.

Wonderful place where you can taste italian dishes

First time eating here. Building is beautiful and the service is superior but the food was lack luster. Onion soup had no flavor. The Caesar dressing was like a vinaigrette. The gnocci was delish but the sauce was a basic tomato with no seasonings. The steak was overcooked and the sauce was unidentifiable. No flavor at all. Will not go back. Disappointing. The lamb ravioli appetizer was good. The martini had little alcohol. I expected way more from this place.

Our server Roger was absolutely amazing! He was so sweet and funny and made our night amazing. The food and wine was to die for

Our waiter, Roger, was delightful. A true professional and he managed to deliver outstanding service despite being very busy attending to other tables. We highly recommend this restaurant. This restaurant has a great menu, culinary dishes and outstanding service.

Awesome! Good food, prices and portions.

Ordered a salad and asked for chicken to be added. Was charged 29.95 just for 1 chicken cutlet (on top of the 15.95 for the salad). So yes, I was charged $46 for a salad. Beyond outrageous! Obviously I would expect to pay an add on fee for a protein, but $30 for a piece of chicken? Highway robbery!! OH, and did I mention that the fire alarm went off 3 times during our stay? And waited over an hour for a meal due to the excessively loud party behind us??? Never again.

Celebrated our anniversary there and had the most amazing time. Had the wonderful Marco (with a C, not a K) as our server and all his recommendations were top tier. The chef was phenomenal, we had the 5 course taste of Italy, including octopus carpaccio, seafood stuffed ravioli (these were heavenly), a FANTASTIC Ribeye. Everything was perfect, cant wait to be back as this will now be our anniversary staple place. Thank you La Grotta for the wonderful night!

Genuinely some of the best food Ive ever had. Enzo was amazing and helped guide us to an excellent experience as well as listening to some of my very silly questions. On several occasions, the food left me literally speechless and my brain needed a minute to reboot. We came here for a birthday and they were incredibly polite and down low about it, bringing out a gorgeous tiramasu on it. Cannot recommend this place enough.

Great food, wine, and service. Our host for the evening was Roger who was delightful! Weve been dining in the Richmond for at least 30 years and tonights service was the BEST!

Very disappointing dining experience and honestly the WORST Italian food I ever got served. Further even old bread was offered and the white wine was gone sour! How can a restaurant owner do that to his guests and charge 190$ for it without being ashamed? Food

Always top of the line food and service..Amazing every time

Had a very good time at the restaurant service was great. Food was great, but we will be back.

Delicious food top one service free elegant atmosphere Vegetarian options: Pasta salad appetizer (parmigiana) Food : 5/5 |

Me and my fiancé come here all the time and love it. The food is always amazing, the chef Tony makes anything taste delicious. The staff is always super friendly and amazing! Overall it s always such an amazing experience and we look forward to coming every time! Andrea is also super amazing and goes above and beyond to make you feel so welcomed!

I believe this restaurant has a great atmosphere. But the bread was absolutely rough to eat. The oil for the bread was just off, and I was not a fan. The service was mediocre for the dining experience. I had better service at Olive Garden. The portions were quite small for the price, in my opinion, I left hungry and wanted more. The flavor of the main meal was excellent and actually tasted really good. The seating was TIGHT, I felt like I was forced to listen to the conversations next to me (width for reference was about 1 average sized waist to walk between the tables), it was way too close.

My boyfriend and I had Roger as our server and it was the best service we have had anywhere. The entire restaurant was welcoming and cozy. Roger made the experience so much better and was the highlight of our night. We will definitely be coming back to see Roger!!!!

The service was very good and prompt here. The staff was very polite and attentive. The food was super good and I was very pleased with how many gluten free options were available. Around half of the items were either gluten free already or had a gluten free option, which I find impressive. Usually, other restaurants might have 2 out of 8 main dishes with gluten free options, but not here. Biggest issue was trying to find street parking before hand. Good luck with that! Unless you re lucky on street parking will be closer to 2nd or 3rd street on broad. I do think there s a parking garage that s closer but I m not sure of the cost. Anyway, I will be back for sure! Oh and I really recommend the shrimp and scallops over polenta for the secondi (second course). That was MAGNIFICENT!

The restaurant has an incredible decoration and atmosphere. It is recommended that you make a reservation if you go for lunch and dinner on Fridays. The living room has a private room to reserve for birthdays or a celebration. The attention was super special, the innkeeper made the perfect recommendations, as if he knew us. It has a wide variety of wines and cocktails. We ordered a portion of bread, you have to ask for it, its very good. As an appetizer we ordered some squid in batter, cooked perfectly to perfection. Then I ordered some spinach Angellotis with cheese sauce My coworker had some gnocchi with ragù sauce. Both dishes come accompanied with salad or soup, your choice. There is a dessert menu but we couldnt order it due to the amount of food. Wheelchair accessibility: The place is at street level so it does not need an access ramp.

I sent my husband to the restaurant to place a order for to go. He was planning to order 4 appetizers, seven entrees, and six desserts. We had an idea of spending $1000 on this to go order ( including 20% tip ) His business was refused at the restaurant when he arrived. Next time I will roll into the restaurant with my neighbors and all 6 of our children, including my 6 month old baby so that everyone in the restaurant can experience a truly chaotic dinner instead of trying to keep it at the house.

Incredible atmosphere and excellent service! Special thanks to Roger for patiently explaining everything to us. A place my spouse and I definitely plan to visit again and again! Vegetarian options: It is best to ask the staff about the dishes. The ingredients are referred to by their Italian names. Parking: There is a paid parking lot right across the street. It is $13 for two hours of parking.

Loved the food and service! Our waiter was very nice and made sure we had everything we needed. The restaurant was very loud and I had trouble hearing my partner who was sitting right across from me. However, there were two large wedding parties during the time we were there so that s probably why! I doubt its typically that loud.

Dietary restrictions: Excellent celiac or gluten-free options. Food

Would highly recommend! They had gluten free options that were absolutely delicious! I would definitely come back! Superb!! Dietary restrictions: Had gluten free options!

Very good tasting food, wine, and drinks. Service was good. They forgot to give us silverware and soup spoons at first, but it was quickly rectified.

Special dinner with my parents. The food was great and out server was very attentive and patient.

I just left La Grotta which I was very excited to eat at for my birthday. The atmosphere is nice and moody but our service was not to great. We were barely checked on by our waiter Marco, he didn t tell us the specials until I asked if there were any, and when the bill came he kinda shoved the entire bill into the hands of the only male at the table. We were separate parties at the table and wanted the bill split but we re not given the option. Our food was average for the most part, I got the spinach ravioli but it was not warm enough when it came out which kind of ruined the taste. The steak was not hot at all, the sauce and taste was bland, there was a lot of fat on the steak and it was undercooked to What I asked for. My boyfriend also told the hostess that it was my birthday and that he wanted them to bring out a piece of cheese cake that he would of gladly paid for, the hostess said that she would tell our waiter but she never did so I never got my dessert to celebrate with. Although I would recommended to still try the restaurant at least once, we are very disappointed with todays service and food and are not sure if we would return again.

My wife and I went here last night. Everything about the place was delightful. The servers were incredibly friendly, the atmosphere was beautiful, and the food was absolutely delicious. I ordered the cheese and spinach raviolis and asked the waiter to give my compliments to the chef. My only problem was there weren t more of them. On the downside, it s pricy. My wife and I ordered appetizers, wine, entres, and dessert, but stuck to the cheaper items on the menu. Still, it cost us $170 plus tip ($210 for the final price). And being in Richmond, you ll probably have to park a few blocks away, which wasn t fun considering it was raining last night. Still, La Grotta was a wonderful experience for fine dining. I would highly recommend it. Vegetarian options: Only a few items were vegetarian. I did not see any vegan options, so if you don t eat animal by products, this probably isn t the place for you. Kid-friendliness: It s expensive and more of a fine-dining, date night establishment, so it s probably not the first place I d bring a kid. But if your kids like Italian food and you don t have a problem shelling out over $200 for them to eat, by all means bring them.

Great experience! Someone in our party is gluten free and there are many options available. Parking is nearby. Will return.

It is exactly what you imagine fine Italian dining looks, smells, and tastes like.

If I could give 100 Stars, I would! This restaurant was amazing. We had our wedding dinner there last Tuesday. All our guest raved about the service and food. The chef his wife and the whole staff was just AMAZING! cant wait to go back for our Anniversary dinner.

Absolutely loved this authentic fine dining. The menu is inspired

I cannot say enough great things about this restaurant! Our server was amazing, the food was incredible, and the ambiance was perfect. Will definitely be back.

Love this place! Staff is fantastic accommodating and professional without being stuffy. Food is always wonderful. Perfect spot to have a nice meal before a show at the Dominion Energy Center.

A double date night brought us to La Grotta. The service was spectacular. Our waiter was knowledgeable and witty, giving us laughs along with choices. All the meals were delicious and the desserts were remarkable. La Grotta is a good choice when looking for a nice dinner in a sparkling atmosphere.

We re visiting Richmond and were recommended this restaurant for dinner- and didn t regret it! The food was really good - my husband had veal and I had chicken- both excellent! We also had calamari for an appetizer - tender calamari in super crispy batter- match made in heaven! Couldn t have any desert after such rich food bug everything we saw looked really good. We do want to point out that we had THR BEST waiter - ROGER! He gave us great recommendations, was super professional - never hovered but was there when we needed him! He also seemed extremely nice and personable - made us felt very welcomed and special. I hope the restaurant appreciates what a gem of a staff and a great professional they have working there! Anyway. great place, great food and loud and vibrant as any true Italian restaurant!

Nice Italian restaurant.

Service was good. Food was okay...definitely over priced. Carrabbas is just as good ..maybe better. For about half the price. Overall not a good value. Food

I am sad to say that I will not be back here after coming for many years. In years past I would have recommended La Grotta as the go to Italian restaurant in Richmond. Unfortunately, this establishment has gone downhill! Recently I went for Valentine s Days with my wife and the charm has vanished, the servers seemed more interested in scurrying us along, and food was sub par at best. I ordered the veal medallion special for $55 and it was like a hockey puck. Gross! Way over cooked, and the side of mashed potatoes might as well have come from some box at food lion. The waiter was not attentive at all, and we were packed in like sardines. The area is also not so safe any longer. There were sketchy people hovering around outside and feels very unsafe after dark. We were basically harassed on our way to the car. Please do yourself a favor and spend your hard earned time and money elsewhere now. End of an era :(

Perfect evening. Great for family night out or couples.

went in with a group of girl friends to celebrate a 22nd birthday and our server derrick was PHENOMENAL! genuinely perfect service and great food! i m now planning on taking my parents there when they come visit me and im hoping i get derrick! the seafood was so fresh you could taste the quality in every bite Dietary restrictions: had lots of different of different options for us gluten free and dairy free folks! lots of us didn t eat meat or fish and we had options as well!

came here to celebrate my birthday with a group of friends and the night was just perfect. derrick was the most perfect server i could ve asked for!! both professional, yet personable, he set the most amazing mood for the evening. food wise, everything was delicious, and you could tell that they make a lot of things from scratch. the sauce on the filet wasn t my favorite, but i still enjoyed it. i also tried the salmon, which was so yummy, and the pastas could ve been a little more tender for my personal taste, but my friends thought they were good! all my friends were raving about their food. the strawberry cake was also perfect and the night overall was absolutely lovely.

Fish dish was disappointing

Beautiful dinner with a beautiful lady

First timer: Dined in with a friend yesterday before a show and everything was fabulous. Our server Roger, was incredible. Highly attentive, suggestive, personable and made our dining experience great. The food was amazing and perfectly prepared, cooked and served. Will definitely return!

Our first visit was incredible! The food was absolutely fantastic! But more than that, the service from Rodger was exceptional! Cannot wait to visit again! Highly recommend!

The medium rare steak was undercooked, if you can believe that. Not a good experience at all.

Amazing experience. I sat at the bar by myself.. I was in town for business. From my Nagroni to wine and food choiceThe experience and service was perfect. The veal may have been the best I ever had. Highly recommend

One of the best meals I ve had in a long time. The homemade pasta was top notch. Will be back again!

Could have given a zero if there was one. This place gives really bad service to people of colour would recommend no person of colour to go there. They are very rude, dismissive and biased in their service.

My boyfriend and I went to this place. Called to set up a reservation and I was put on hold three times. Asked to call back and wasn t a problem. On getting there, I was asked about my reservation, they couldn t find it. I had given every detail and finally they found it using my phone number. On seating, our server was instantly prejudicial. We were ignored constantly by our server. We asked for clarifications on the menu which we weren t accorded. We were treated with contempt the entire time. The only thing good about the place was the cheesecake. Everything else was subpar and overpriced. We got racist vibes from that place.

Everything was amazing! The service isnt quite up to par with what I would expect from this quality of restaurant, but it was fine. Just small things that added up and took away from the experience a slight bit. The food was so amazing though we didnt really care.

We came here no reservations and had to sit at the Bar. We remember the Restaurant from the old location and the experience was the same. Great food as we remembered. Jack the Bartender was amazing very professional and likable, great skills in multitasking, they are very lucky to have him!

This restaurant is the best ever! Tony is the best chef in the world! We have traveled extensively in Italy and the food here is even better. This restaurant is our most favorite restaurant in the world! We are leaving in May for Venice and I bet we dont get as good as what we had last night. The service is always impeccable also - absolutely perfect! La Grotta should be getting all 5 *s. I read some of the critical reviews today and they are just not correct! I know because we have eaten at La Grotta so many times and every single time has been perfect.

Our waiter was awesome. It was a experience

Food was good, but for what you pay Im not sure its worth it. Plus I miss the old location. This place just doesnt have the same charm. Service was great, parking sucked.

Outstanding service

Always delicious, but plan on being there a while. Nearly everything on the menu is made in-house.

A very elegant and personalized experience! Dishes are works of art.

We celebrated our anniversary at LaGrotta and I was very disappointed in the food. Loved the waiter but the special Red snapper with Crab cake was bland and tasteless. Way too much sauce on the fish and still no flavor. Way over priced. The Cheesecake tasted like flour cake even though beautifully presented. Like other reviewers, I ve traveled extensively in Europe, particularly Italy and never had such an unappealing meal. I liked the old, quaint venue better in Shockhoe Slip. Very disappointed in this meal. My husband had the Linguine with seafood and was also disappointed. Too much quantity but lacking in quality. Frank Kostek here, Chef Capice may well be a master chef but La Grotta has become a pasta factory like so many other Italian restaurants in the US. I suspect that it s very hard to maintain consistent quality in such a large venue, then there s the rising cost of ingredients. My huge, American sized dish of seafood pasta was over spiced making the whole dish taste the same, hot and not very interesting or flavorful. My pana cota and cappuccino were excellent, my wife s cheese cake had no flavor, her red snapper looked and tasted like balsa wood. A gorgeous interior, lovely table setting, excellent service, and a few beautifully plated dishes do not make up for mass produced poorly prepared dishes. Your defensive responses to the many negative reviews we see here show that you are ignoring some truths and holding on to a once glorious past. Parking: Horrible to try and park, computer experience wasn t intuitive.

Andrea , that manager is awful!!! I am not ever coming here ever again. Rude. Disrespectful, literal garbage attitude. No sense of hospitality. You shouldn t be allowed to manage a restaurant with your awful attitude. It s disgusting beyond belief!

This was the one of the most horrible experience I had at a restaurant in Virginia. Me and a few people I was with are very upset, we will never come dine at this place again. The Manager, Andrea is the most entitled person ive ever met. Rude. Entitled. Horrible. no sense of hospitality.

Food was excellent.. romantic, and the service was great.

Richmonds best! Great food and fantastic wine list.

The food was pretty bad for the price. The seafood pasta we had we thought would be good, but the lobster actually made my mouth dry and was very bland. Also, when I made my reservation, I asked to be seated in the restaurant and they put me in the bar area in the smallest table in the corner and 2 inches away from someones face. The only redeeming qualities of my meal were the wine and the service.

Well design Italian restaurant in downtown Richmond. Loved the homemade pasta and fish special. Cocktails where very good. Service seems a little spotty.

Fresh made everything. Delicious! Wine is top tier as well as service.

Excellent service and atmosphere, came here for a late meal on business travel. From a food perspective the Caesar salad was a miss - had the Veal Scallopini and the flavors were great. Dishes are sauce heavy, and portions are large.

I cannot begin to tell you how delicious all that food. If youre thinking about going make sure you do because youll really be treating yourself.

Thank you especially to Jack! He provided the absolute best service and matched my energy word for word. As a young woman out by herself in Richmond, I felt at home and very comfortable with Jack, Roger, and Jeremy. Will be back specifically for these wonderful gentlemen! Lots of love

Exceptional from the time you walk in to the time you leave youll feel pampered with delicacies and amazing service in a stunning restaurant! Highly recommended.

Visited this wonderful establishment last week. The original resturant we made reservations with, was unable to accommodate us. With one day notice, this place was able to accommodate my party of 24 with both professionalism and excellence. The food was extraordinary, and the ambiance was just was needed to make the people in my party feel special. Special thanks to Jeremy for all of his help and hard work. Dietary restrictions: We had several dietary restrictions not limited to Gluten free, various food allergies, and vegetarian. All were accommodated exceptionally!

Everything was delicious and the restaurant was beautiful.

Just absolutely fantastic. La Grotta is a gem hidden in plain sight. Over the past decade, I have increasingly avoided Italian fare due to the utter lack of attention to detail by most restaurants, with boring palate considerations, or mortal sins like watery noodles with marinara. Why would one pay a premium when virtually any dish or sauce can be made at home that tastes far better? La Grotta has entered the chat! Their four course meal will blow you away. I experienced the first course, with two chef-selected pastas tastefully separated on the same dish, one side smothered in white sauce, with a counterpart of noodles in marinara. Its an offering that you have to experience for yourself. I could not decide which one I liked better so Ill have to, ahem (for research purposes), try this dish again. The salad was competently tasty. And the main course, Salmone Atlantico with shrimp, was done perfectly. Our waiter substituted my desired Malbec for a Sangiovese he said would be similar, and he was right. I know, reds and fish arent a typical pairing, but whites arent my thing. Lol The tiramisu was rich and had a finish. After-dinner espressos were fantastic, as well. I also want to recognize the professional waitstaff - these folks treated myself and my crew with a wonderful experience. They are truly vested, and it makes for a special night. Highly recommended that you visit La Grotta soon!! Vegetarian options: Very accommodating, and the vegetarian dishes looked AMAZING!! Parking: Right across the street to the east, on 6th. Kid-friendliness: Dont bring a bus, and youll be fine. Wheelchair accessibility: Looks good.

One of the greatest places in Richmond by far. I ve spent time in Italy and didn t have food as great as this place. The owners clearly care. The food has so much heart

Our experience was incredible. I highly recommend La Grotta. The food and drinks were the best I ve had in Richmond.

Great food and service Very accommodating Food

La grotta is definitely one of our favorite spots, handmade pasta, unbelievable steaks, and homemade desserts, everything you order is phenomenal! Waitstaff is very attentive and professional. 10/10!

Place has awesome pasta. Ive always had great service. No idea what these posters are talking about. Place is a solid notch above edo squid in my book.

Awesome ! Very good food Thanks

I go to this restaurant every time I visit Richmond and it never disappoints! I always sit at the bar and dine because the bar tender is attentive and very friendly with fast service. I usually get the daily special which has been packed with outstanding flavor.

Loved this place. The hospitality was so warm and the food was delicious and in large quantities

This was my granddaughters college graduation dinner. We wanted some place special. La Grotta did not disappoint. The service was absolutely top notch service, the food was EXCELLENT!!! This was the most wonderful experience. I felt like I was in Italy being with Family. Thank you for an absolutely enjoyable dinner!! I look forward to returning. Thanks

Food was good, waiter was aloof. He continually took away place settings if anyone got up to use the bathroom, knocked things off our table, etc. We had a large party in the middle of the room and waiters/bidders continually bumped into us (knocked someone s purse off their chair 3 times). The entire night, there was a larger table in the corner that would ve given the entire restaurant more room and prevented anyone from being bumped into

Our anniversary dinner with the best bottle of wine, a Barbaresco! Husbands dinner was the special seafood and pasta. It was awesome and came out piping hot! Perfect! Mine, however was the veal special that came out barely warm and the sides the same. There was an odd spice so after I sent it back and concerned they were going to just reheat the dish I decided to switch to the Rockfish special thinking it would come out fresh and hot off the grill. However, for $50 it came out warm not hot and overcooked!! I can t ever remember having a dry Rockfish cause they normally are very moist. The giant prawn was switched to 2 small shrimp which were not as hot as husbands shrimp at the end of his meal! Oh and the sides were same as previously but were even colder! I didn t complain a second time. But it was a travesty. The seafood my husband ordered was the same I had the last time we were there 5 years ago and it was delicious. You will not be disappointed with it. But if you order anything else and like room temp previously cooked sides then order a meat or fish fish. It was such a huge disappointment after ordering a $100 bottle of wine and then getting my dinner delivered overdone and cool after husband was finished with his. The cooks need to get their stuff together. I could have gotten that Rockfish for half the price elsewhere and prepared better. Sorry for the bad review but it ruined our special anniversary and the bill was $230 for 2 people.

The owners and staff treated us royaly.

It was an amazing experience.. Our waiter Jeremy was top notch . They went a little extra for my anniversary and it was much appreciated. A little pricey for the food but it was delicious..

Owners are so rude. For such a beautiful place, it is a shame that the ones who own this place go SO FAR to invalidate reviews. Maybe if they read the review, reflected on it, and ACTED on that (rather than snapping back with a rude snide remark) then this would be a great restaurant. But, alas, the owners choose to shut down anyone who genuinely had not-so-great experience. Grow up.

Very good quality food. Best Italian I have had. Affordable. Very good service. Waiters are top notch and always coming by the table to do refills and very good at their jobs.

We walked in on a whim and were bowled over by the fabulous food and even better service. Enzo made my 70 year old uncle, who really doesnt do fine dining, feel so at home. Agree with a previous reviewer the 4-course dinner is the way to go. So many fine choices you need to do yourself a favor and savor the moment with impeccable service (thanks again Enzo) and perfectly executed cuisine.

My wife and I came here for a date night. We had no reservation but we called and the woman on the phone said there was a table in the bar and when we arrived it was still vacant. The atmosphere is wonderful. The building is old and classy. The waiter was friendly and knowledgeable and attentive. The food is absolutely delicious and attractive. We decided to get a four course meal for each of us based upon the recommendation of our waiter. My wife had the oyster appetizer, which she liked very much, seafood ravioli with a red pepper sauce, which was wonderful, the red snapper special, which was very good, and slice of tiramisu cake, which she brought home and enjoyed. I had calamari, which was cooked perfectly, the seafood linguini, perfectly Al center with a wonderful sauce, ribeye steak, which was one of the best I ve ever eaten, and an Italian custard desert with vanilla sauce, which was delicious. All in all, our meal was exquisite and we couldn t stop talking about how good it was. I highly recommend La Grotta if you enjoy fine food and fine Italian. After our meal we met and spoke for a bit with the owner and she sent us over an after dinner lemon cello. It was a great experience.

Got a reservation on a whim to take my fiancé and father out to a nice dinner. I had always heard good things, but was blown away by the experience. Excellent service, delicious food, great ambiance. We will certainly be back!

Classy, old-school Italian place in downtown Richmond. Great wine and food menu, everything we had was delicious and ingredients were excellent quality. Service was super good and very friendly. Surprisingly refreshing menu with old classics but less common options as well. Great option for a fancier meal.

Not cheap, but well worth it. Best veal I have ever had. The dishes are well thought out and balanced with delicious sauces. Kid-friendliness: The atmosphere was romantic enough for a date night, but not too stuffy for kids.

Beautiful

After a month or two of deliberation on where to eat for my birthday dinner, we finally decided on La Grotta to celebrate Saturday evening. Richmond has an extensive Italian food scene that includes handmade pasta and traditional fare at many of the local restaurants. In that regard, it is tough to stand out. La Grotta Ristorante, in our opinion, is the best Italian restaurant and one of the best overall restaurants in RVA. To start, we ordered dirty martinis which came out perfectly. Briny from the olive juice, 3 blue cheese stuff olives skewered, and well mixed to create a perfect balance. We also had old fashioned s which were perfectly crafted by the bartender. Reasonably priced for an upscale restaurant. Bread baskets came out regularly and flowing with homemade focaccia, Italian bread, and it also included breadsticks. The showstopper here was that Calabrian chili pepper oil that was served with the bread. You could drink it by the bucket full. For appetizers we ordered the snails and the frog legs over polenta. The snails were served out of their shells on top of button mushrooms in a garlic, herb, and oil sauce. The frog legs were served in a light tomato and Chardonnay red sauce over top of polenta. These were the best frog legs I ve ever had. Light, tender, and flavorful. The sauce reminded me of a well flavored cacciatore. For our entrees, we got the Quail, Spinach and Ricotta ravioli, and the special of the night; pheasant ravioli. The quail is a must try, as I think this is the best meal I ve tasted in Richmond. It is juicy and packed with herbaceous flavor. A google review can t clearly articulate how tasty this was. Just order it now. The spinach and ricotta ravioli was well balanced and light even though it was based in a cream sauce. The pasta shells have a great chew since they are made in house, and the portions were plentiful. The special of the night; the pheasant, was perfect. It was not gamey, and you could taste the care that was put into creating a delicate bite. This should be a continuously rotating item if it isn t already. I will have to order this again. Overall, the experience was perfect from top to bottom. If you live in RVA, or are just visiting, make an effort to get here.

What a great experience! Excellent food, wine and atmosphere!

Absolutely incredible meal. The pasta was homemade and fresh and tastes incredible. The meats were fresh and delicious and the drinks were great. Waiter was incredible, new what the menu had, and new what to pair with different things. Top tier.

We found this wonderful restaurant on a Saturday evening about (3) years ago by accident. They happened to have an open table. Sometimes you get lucky. We now have a reservation on Sat evening August 19th, 2023. We cant wait!!!

Loved everything about this restaurant! Cant wait to visit again!

Best ravioli I ve ever had !!

We stayed at the Marriott and ordered delivery from here. The order was correct, timely and delicious! Cant wait to visit again!

The food at this restaurant was amazing. We were in town unexpectedly and chose LA Grotta because it was close to the hotel and looked nice. We had the 3 course with wine pairing. What an excellent choice. My husband had the Carpaccio di Manzo. It was excellent. My entree was a seafood linguini with champagne sauce. Delicious! And the tiramasu was so delicate. The entire menu looked great! I highly recommend. Kid-friendliness: This is not the appropriate restaurant for children. The family next to us had a screaming toddler. Please dont bring children.

This is the sort of restaurant that I would think that Id encounter in my beloved Manhattan. This place was killer in terms of the food and service. I have relatives in Richmond so I will go back but if there werent cousins in Virginias capital, Id make the 2 hour drive anyway. It was THAT good! Food : 5/5

The service was amazing the food was okay but didnt feel it was good enough for the price.

Great atmosphere for a romantic dinner. Our server Lorenzo was very personable and a highlight of our visit. The coconut cake was the best we ever had. Only room for improvement would be the pre-meal bread. It was a bit bland and not warm (though the dipping sauce was good).

Amazing dinner!

The best in Richmond Virginia

I love this place. The staff and owners are great folks. The food doesnt seem real. Wine section is amazing. Far out all the way

We had the the most amazing and enjoyable experience last night! The food and service were out of this world! The menu truly has something for everyone, without being too long. Every dish was prepared impeccably and we thoroughly relished every bite. We ordered an embarrasing amount of food, and loved it all, but a few favorites were the carpaccio (beef as well as the tuna special), the antipasto (we were all shocked by how delicious the grilled and marinated zucchini was, it the best any of us have ever had and is craveable) the halibut special with the champagne grapes, the perfectly light spinach ravioli (that looks like it should be heavy but isnt), the filet mignon, the quail and the tiramisu. I really wish I remembered our servers name (I am one of those people who is TERRIBLE with names), but I do remember how friendly and fantastic he was! So whoever served the 3 ladies last night who ordered WAY too much food, were a little too loud, and who definitely stayed too long at your fine establishment, THANK YOU! It was truly a perfect night!

We are Italian guests of the Hilton hotel, 2 people, at 8:56 we showed up at the restaurant on a Saturday evening. We were refused because the kitchen was already closed (9am). In my opinion, terrible service, zero mental flexibility. Really terrible, especially the person who welcomed us at the entrance

Great food and service. Well be back.

Gourmet recipes delivered with an Italian family hospitality. We hosted a rehearsal dinner and the staff couldnt have been more accommodating and the food amazing!

Such a delightful place!!

10/10 energy/vibes and outcome

Came here for a celebratory dinner. Made our reservation via the website; called to fix the amount of people from 5 to six with no issues. The manager answered the phone and was very nice. We came here via recommendation from an employee. She was not wrong, the prices are very high, but the quality of the food matched so we can t complain. Special occasions call for opening your wallet with closed eyes! We would vote this the second best pasta in town; sauces and meats were divinely tasty/well done. Try the quail, it was incredible. Plating however was a bit silly for fine dining. As someone who has gone to fine restaurants around the globe, I find putting an orchid on my plate of pasta cliché and offensive (orchid production is highly problematic, feel free to research if you are unaware). Honestly unless the garnish works with the dish/tastes good with my food, it s a waste of money. To top our pasta, why not use fancy parsley or oregano flowers or nasturtium? These are all edible and wouldn t go to waste. We all agreed the orchids made us sad; they re not even edible! I grow my herbs and love using their flowers as garnish/decoration of my dishes. Hope the chef sees and considers my hot tip! Orchids are so expensive; to be wasted like this. Their desserts were excellent, especially the pannacotta and the grand marnier cake (incredibly floral, to die for creamy highly recommend). The waiter talked up the tiramisu so much, it was corny. As a family that has visited Italy many times we found his fake accent and counting incorrectly in Italian endearing, but a bit over the top. Also highly doubt a true Italian would ever claim the Grotta tiramisu is better than an Italian one. Will definitely come back, but unfortunately have to agree with some of the other reviews in regards to sexism. Our waiter was a bit focused on my oldest daughter, kept reaching over her to serve wine and water, calling her pet names, which made her uncomfortable. Maybe just walk around the table to serve instead of reaching over guests. Also, when we received our bill, they charged us for a $65 bottle of wine rather than the $30 one we ordered. They fixed it once we pointed it out, but it was still a bit awkward. Make sure you check your bill before you pay! PS: My daughter would love to help you with your social media presence. Your instagram is very bland and does not represent your business accurately. This could help elevate your business; highly recommend hiring someone better to work on your website/marketing. Vegetarian options: Some vegetarian options. Zero vegan.

Made a reservation for my wifes birthday. We arrived 30 minutes early and we were promptly seated. I had the Veal Medallion special which was super delicious, my wife had the Agnolotti alla Panna which was also very good. The Tiramisu was great, they even served it with a birthday candle and Happy Birthday written on the plate. The complimentary glass of Limoncello was unexpected and a nice finish to our evening. And, our waiter, Enzo, was amazing... he was very attentive, professional, and made us feel like we were visiting Italy again.

This was the best customer service I ve ever encountered at a restaurant! The food was amazing & the atmosphere was so inviting I ll definitely be back here!!! My man proposed to me here the same night we went and the staff planned everything so beautifully thank you all!! We was the first proposal at there restaurant

Very nice meal, great service

Ordered Fish -- Sole, no flavor. Very disappointed Service was good atmosphere is great. Food : 3/5

Good

The wait staff was as great as the food. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

Wonderful service! The owners are amazing! La grotta doesn t disappoint!

Beautiful building and atmosphere. Horrible customer service. The hostess seemed put out that we were 5 minutes early for our reservation. The waiter spoke mostly to the only male at our table. The staff nearly dumped a bowl of soup in my lap when we took too long to tell her who had the soup. Literally, a seconds hesitation. The waiter rudely announced he couldn t hear me as I placed my order. The soup was terrible. The Pasta was delicious. A terrible experience overall.

Soup was great, salmon was good. Bison only medium temp was ok.

We had a great time... great food... a friends birthday party...

Visited for a family gathering. Very tasty food. Highly recommend the ravioli and the steak!

This restaurant was good but Im not sure that I would go again. The food was good but not amazing for the price point and the service was a little strange.

1 star only because zero not allowed. We just left with my daughter crying. Worst experience ever! We went to celebrate my daughters promotion....she serves this country in the army. She ordered a medium rare steak which was over cooked after sending it back, of course, It came back more cooked than the first time! Then the chef who is also the owner came out...ANGRY and argued about what a medium rare steak is and proceeded to tell my young daughter he was no longer serving her!!!! At $45 dollars for a otherwise $10 steak the customer should be able to eat it the way they want to eat it. From the business perspective...take the $20 dollar loss and have happy customers. I have traveled all over the world eaten at some of the finest restaurants and Never, ever have I seen or experienced such treatment. The owner is an arrogant entitled pr$#@! No other word for it. Our server was perfect and he felt bad we could tell. Thank God for soldiers like my daughter that sacrifice so much for the freedoms these type of individuals get to enjoy. This is one for the record for sure! But if you want to support a business that treats customers this way, I suppose its every ones perogative. We for one will never return.

Worst dine-in experience I have ever had, anywhere. I have never been treated so poorly in my life. I would give 0 stars if I could. I ordered the filet mignon, medium rare, and it came out medium/medium well. I have been to many fine restaurants and had my filet cooked the same way every time. I know what medium rare looks like. I always feel bad being that person to send food back, but it was not even close to medium rare and that was what I asked for. They took it back to the kitchen, and when they brought out a new plate, this one was even more cooked than the last. That had to be intentional. I apologized because I dont like being a difficult customer, and asked if I could get one of their pasta dishes instead. The server clearly felt bad and went back to the kitchen with the plate. The chef, who also happens to be the owner, came out to our table with the same filet I had ordered, and had cut it into 3 large pieces. He proceeded to berate and humiliate me, telling me that this was medium rare and he would not cook me another dish. I was refused service. It took me a moment to process the rudeness of what had just transpired as he stormed back into the kitchen. My mother and I looked at each other in shock and disgust. The manager then came to the table and said the same thing. That was a medium rare steak. Unfortunately we cannot serve you another dish because you will just send it back. Excuse me, what? So, we paid the bill and left. Will never return and definitely will not recommend to anyone.

Get the panna cotta!

Excellent food and service

The food was excellent! But on a side note we listened to the waiter tell someone he had 7 kids and then told someone else he had 2. My wife and I laughed about this for hours after we left. Great atmosphere and now we have a story to tell our friends!

We went to La Grotta for my husband s birthday and had a wonderful experience. The bartender and waitress were knowledgeable, friendly, and attentive. The waitress was well informed on different food allergies and the chef even offered to make off menu food due to some allergies at our table. We will definitely be going back ASAP!

Great and beautiful atmosphere

Great time! Wonderful ambience and absolutely delicious food! Go and have an intimate time with friends and family!

As a business owner, I am always hesitant to leave a less than perfect review, but after my experience Friday September 2nd , I am very compelled to. I arrived on time for my 8:15 pm reservation to celebrate my birthday. I was greeted by a not so personable woman (older, short hair). She informed me that the computer system allowed them to overbook, and that I would have to wait. It was a little frustrating being that I had a reservation, but I was also still waiting for 2 members of my party, so I tried to just shake it off and not make it a big deal. The other two members of my party arrived at around 8:25pm , and we weren t seated until about 8:40 pm. Because it was my birthday, one of my friends surprised me with balloons. (4 balloons). While the woman was walking us to our table, she told me Make sure your balloons don t touch my chandeliers I was so taken aback by her snide comment. It was so strange, and non welcoming. (Also the chandeliers were due for a good cleaning as they were dusty) Fast forward to the reason they are receiving 3 stars. The restaurant itself is beautiful. (Outside of the dust on the chandeliers) The food was amazing and the presentation of the food was five star. Lastly, our server was very knowledgeable, kind and friendly. He provided immaculate service. I will give this restaurant another try and update my review in hopes that it was just a bad night.

Im only leaving this review because my friend left a honest review regarding the level of courtesy we received this past Friday night. Her review was responded to with a very negative tone which was similar to the energy that we got at the front door. That wasnt the purpose of my friends review. She was hurt and felt disregarded. She was the birthday girl and was not treated as so by the host. The host who presented as the owner missed many opportunities to give us a warm welcome. I dont believe she meant any harm by her harshness. However, she was very concerned about her chandeliers despite that we got seated over 30 minutes after our reservation time. And, yes the chandeliers were a little dusty. Which isnt being said to be hurtful but to help encourage you all to clean them before rudely replying to a Google review. Furthermore, if you are concerned about the chandeliers to the extent of missing an opportunity to be courteous then they should be dazzling. Back to my point, my mom always told me its not what you say its how you say it. The host obviously didnt get that lesson. Either she do not care or is unaware of her delivery and discernment. This isnt meant to slander La Grotta but its necessary for who ever is in charge of the hospitality to step their game up. Nonetheless, I would be remiss not to acknowledge that my steak was A-1, no pun. Truly delicious and the waiter--he won me over. He was personable, well versed in the specials and perhaps one of the best waiters I have ever had. Again, please take this as an opportunity to be better. All in all, I would definitely eat there again and I am looking forward to better experience by the host in the future. With much love from your somewhat dissatisfied customer. #Chefkeepslayinginthekitchen

Amazing food and even better service. There were so many great items on the menu, it became hard to choose. The four course meal is way to go.

We had a terrific birthday dinner for my adult daughter this evening before a show at the Altria Theater. We allowed 2 hours to eat before the show and that worked out perfectly. Our server, Dereck, was absolutely excellent. We will be back soon!! Parking: Parking is a little difficult, but there is a pay lot at 5th and Broad that is only one block away so its convenient. $10 for 2 hours seems a bit pricey but Im sure I could have driven around and walked a little farther and gotten free street parking.

A typical Italian restaurant both in terms of its decor and the dishes

Some of the best food Ive ever had. Ravioli was absolutely to die for. Great drinks as well, bartender was excellent.

Recently did the three course meal and wine pairing (second time dining at this location since the move from Shockoe Slip) the food was excellent and served in huge quantities. Wine was just okay. My only complaint is that our waiter this visit was so loud, and so dismissive, hoping to sit in the main dining room area next time where the service is better.

My husband called for a reservation and was told we can be seated as soon as we arrive. When we arrived, the female employee (which Was revealed latter was the manager) asked for a name. I told her we did not give a name and was told to arrive immediately for a party of 5. She seemed to have an attitude. She seated my party and I had to say thank you twice before she responded. The food was good. The waiter was good and continued to suggest extra food items, wine, and desserts (which did not bother me). When we received the bill, the gratuity was added. The menu stated gratuity will be added for a party of 6 or more. We had a party of 5. When I addressed the manager, she stated they should know better. The waiter verbalized they did not change the menu and implied that it would take a lot to do so. The manager was silent and avoided eye contact during this entire interaction. Neither one of them apologized for not informing us at any time about the change to the gratuity policy. My husband and I do well financially and my husband tips very very well so I was offended that the gratuity was added without informing us of this. Honestly, my husband would have paid more than 20% as we were pleased with the service we had received thus far. The waiter s explanation would make sense, but the fact that the manager of the restaurant did not verbally agree with his explanation makes me wonder if it was indeed truthful. Had the policy really changed or is this unfair treatment of minority customers??? Was this a case of bias based on racial profiling??? The waiter maintained his view that this is indeed the current policy, but the manager never indicated that this was the case. Needless to say - we will NEVER return to this restaurant!!!!!!!!! Everyone should be treated equally!!!!!!!!!!!!

This was our first time dining at La Grotta. My only regret is that we hadnt eaten here sooner. I cant think of one thing that was lacking in any way. A great dining experience from the moment you walk in the door. Wonderful appetizers, entrees and desserts. A top notch, helpful and knowledgeable wait staff made sure we were well taken care of. Do yourself a favor and enjoy an evening at one of Richmonds best. Parking: Plenty of paid parking right on the corner well within walking distance. Kid-friendliness: More adult oriented. Older children would enjoy dining here better. Wheelchair accessibility: Wheel chair accessible without an issue.

Wondeful place! Delicious food, amazing service from Enzo. Even the to-go desserts were stellar. I only regret that I have but one stomach to fill.

Been here three times for large groups. Each time service food and drinks have been exceptional. They take care of you here.

Absolutely my favorite restaurant in Richmond now. Stumbled across this place after an evening arrival into town. I was tired and hungry and this place was close plus had good reviews. The service and food were impeccable. The burratta was out of this world. Always ask about the specials because they seemed to be reliably amazing. Highly recommend this place.

If youre a person of color do not eat here. They do not like you or want your business. Its as simple as that. It was so apparent that I didnt even bother to sit or stay any longer than I needed to.

We had a fantastic meal and great service.

Jack the bartender was fantastic so much effort into is drinks and his recommendations this place is literally 100 stars !

My mom and I had a great experience. Our server Jeremy(?) was the best server I have ever had in the city of Richmond!! He was so kind, explained everything to us and picked great wines for us to try with each course. Big fan of La Grotta and I will definitely be back!!! Dietary restrictions: Perfect for my gluten free mom, she got to try several dishes that normally she would not be able to eat, thank you!

I had the special - veal ossobuco - and it was the best restaurant meal I ve ever had. Will definitely be returning for special occasions!

Amazing food and top notch service - the best of Richmond

Holy grail for fra diavolo just perfection. Love La Grotta.