Helen’s Restaurant in Richmond

2527 W Main St, Richmond, VA 23220, United States

★★★★☆
(552 reviews)
Categories: Restaurant Bar Bistro Brunch restaurant Family restaurant Fine dining restaurant

About

Classic bistro in Richmond’s the fan district. Helen’s is known for our fast paced brunch, established dinner service, a lively bar scene and beautiful atmosphere. Helen’s is the second oldest restaurant in Richmond.

Website
helensrva.com
Address
2527 W Main St, Richmond, VA 23220, United States
Plus Code
HG2G+MP Richmond, Virginia, USA
Time Zone
America/New_York

Business Hours

Sunday
10 AM–2 PM
Monday
Closed
Tuesday
5:30–9 PM
Wednesday
5:30–9 PM
Thursday
5:30–9 PM
Friday
5:30–9 PM
Saturday
10 AM–2 PM – 5:30–9 PM

Services

From the business
Identifies as women-owned
Service options
Outdoor seating Takeaway Dine-in
Highlights
Fast service Great beer selection Great cocktails Great dessert
Popular for
Dinner Solo dining
Accessibility
Assistive hearing loop Wheelchair-accessible car park Wheelchair-accessible entrance Wheelchair-accessible seating Wheelchair-accessible toilet
Offerings
Alcohol Beer Cocktails Coffee Comfort food Happy-hour drinks Healthy options Private dining room Small plates Spirits Vegan options Vegetarian options Wine
Dining options
Brunch Dinner Dessert Seating
Amenities
Bar on site Gender-neutral toilets Toilets Wi-Fi Wi-Fi
Atmosphere
Casual Cosy Historic Trendy
Crowd
Family friendly Groups LGBTQ+ friendly Tourists Transgender safe space University students
Planning
Dinner reservations recommended Accepts reservations
Payments
Credit cards Debit cards Credit cards
Children
Good for kids High chairs
Parking
Free of charge street parking Parking

Photos

Reviews

4.4
★★★★☆
552 reviews

Most Mentioned

brunch (59) pancakes (16) eggs benedict (12) shrimp and grits (11) bartender (10) hash (9) bathroom (9) crowd (6) short rib (5) christmas (5)
5 stars
374
4 stars
87
3 stars
43
2 stars
10
1 stars
38
★★★★★
December 13, 2024

The Staff is extremely friendly and nice. The food is DELISH!!! The Christmas decorations are adorable.

★★★★★
October 27, 2024

The best slow grilled corn beef hash. Not from a can it is the real stuff. The pancakes are perfect. They are fluffy yet have slightly crispy edge. Subtle sprinkling of powder sugar. You can skip the maple syrup. It is perfect as it is.

★★★★★
October 14, 2024

Wonderful restaurant. Discovered while walking around Carytown on a beautiful fall sunny day. We tried the corn beef hash with eggs over easy. Fantastic. Downed 3 cups of delicious coffee with my breakfast

★★★★★
July 27, 2024

HELEN'S has never disappointed. I had the chicken saltimboca and my friend had the breaded flounder with potato fingerlings. The Pernod liquor added to the flounder dish created a most delightful subtle flavor sensation. The saltimboca was tender with perfect pappardelle pasta. Never disappointed.

★★★★★
June 30, 2024

I was invited to join my son and his young family to brunch today. Will sadly admit that I have never eaten here as I was pleasantly surprised. Service was friendly and quick. The menu gave us ample choices and the prices were very reasonable for brunch. I was also surprised at the ease and availability of parking right at the restaurant. Our meals were all ample and tasty. Coffee refills kept coming and we thoroughly enjoyed our time there. We ate indoors, but they have a pretty mixed sized and shady outdoor seating area. Well done Helen’s and we will be back.

★★★★★
June 7, 2024

We enjoyed the Life is Beautiful and the Casablanca cocktails. Noshed on the deviled eggs and the red pepper bruschetta. I had Helen's burger and it does not disappoint. Twas a nice dinner with friends and family.

★★★★★
June 1, 2024

Excellent first experience at Helen’s. We tried the spicy bloody Mary’s and they were perfect! I would highly recommend the chicken biscuit. We LOVED the curried potatoes. The food is a tad expensive, but it’s worth it! Update: we retuned for appetizers/drinks Drinks: Mojito: great and refreshing, especially while sitting on the patio during the summer! Espresso martini: excellent! Apps: Truffle Fries: Apps: Truffle Fries: they were really good, not the best I’ve ever had, but nevertheless very good. There was a good amount of delicious truffle and Parmesan in every bite! Fried Green Tomatoes: the star of our happy hour! The fried green tomatoes are very good! The appetizer is served with a generous amount of pesto and fresh mozzarella which elevated the dish a lot! Corn special appetizer: generally tasty, but surely nothing to write home about. We were served a corn on the cob with whipped feta, which would’ve been fine if there was a specialty about it. For the price point it was not worth it, at all.

★★★
December 31, 2023

There's street parking outside. I didn't see a ramp up, but we managed to get the stroller up. It's a popular place. The decorations are festive! There were quite a few people working there, but none of them came to help us until I made an effort asking where we could sit. Once that's established, people who worked there became very helpful and nice. The food came pretty quickly after we ordered. The food is very flavorful. For me, it's a bit too salty, but the rest of us seemed to enjoy the food very much. I think it's a little pricey. Two juices, one coffee, pancake, and eggs Benedict make about 51 dollars.

★★★★
Local Guide
December 15, 2024

they had the place absolutely decked out for the holidays, including thrifted christmas mugs, which i thought was really charming. would totally come back, but it s not making it onto my top 10 list.

★★★
Local Guide
December 1, 2024

Unripened avocado slices laid out on wheat bread is not worth $14. The potatoes are awesome.

★★★★
Local Guide
December 1, 2024

Cute and delicious but the portions were terrible. Got the short rib with mashed potatoes and carrots, it was 2 little carrots and one scoop of mashed potatoes. It was good though, but the price wasn t worth the portion.

November 22, 2024

With my friend that was kicked out by the staff when she asked to go to the bathroom.

★★★★★
Local Guide
November 22, 2024

Come early for delicious food or come late right as theyre cleaning someones throw up off the ground. Either way, youre gonna have a great time!!

★★★★★
October 22, 2024

Helens was our anchor restaurant when we first moved here. It was an island in a sea of mediocre restaurants before RVA experienced its foodie explosion of the last 10 years. Our frequency waned when we first had kids, but now they are older, come along, and love it too. Service, food, and atmosphere are pretty much ideal for what I love in a restaurant. So glad it once again has become our go to. Feels like home. Its longevity is an asset - dont sleep on it because it isnt the newest flash in the pan. It hasnt lost a step and in fact, I think has upped its game.

★★
Local Guide
October 22, 2024

Extremely disappointed. First one in, given the worst table. Food came out cold. Smelling toilet.

★★★★★
Local Guide
October 22, 2024

One of my favourite places in Richmond. Been here since 1935. Love the food and atmosphere. Dinner is great and so is brunch.

★★★
September 22, 2024

Really wanted to enjoy our brunch at Helens since I had read so many wonderful reviews and posts about it recently but unfortunately that was not our experience. Service was very friendly but slow (5 minutes between being served our meals and no utensils that whole time). I was halfway done with my meal before the server came to check on us. My meal was cold and lacked flavor. Desperately needed salt (except for the potatoes, which were wonderful). Restaurant and patio were rather dirty. Brunch ticket was $80 after tax and tip for 2 meals and 2 drinks. I would expect more for a ticket price like that for brunch. May try again since it could have just been an off day but likely wont be back anytime soon unfortunately.

★★★★★
Local Guide
September 22, 2024

RVA staple. I love the Irish breakfast and the veggie hash.

★★★★
Local Guide
August 22, 2024

Beet salad served with 3 little pcs of beets. Shrimp and grits wonderful. Husband enjoyed fried green tomatoes.

★★★★★
August 22, 2024

Randomly stopped in here instead of a different place we were going to check out and Im so glad we did! My husband got sausage gravy and biscuits and I tried their blueberry pancakes, and both options were some of the best weve ever eaten. Great bloody Mary too. Quick service and I enjoyed the atmosphere. Well be back!

August 22, 2024

Took the server a nudge to submit our order an hour after we got there

★★★
Local Guide
August 22, 2024

I made the mistake of having a reservation at 8:15 on a Friday night not knowing dinner service closed at 9. Service was almost non-existent throughout the meal. Food came out slowly with some elements cold while others hot. This place has moved beyond dining to being a bar. Go elsewhere for dinner.

July 22, 2024

People were rude AF definitely not going again.

★★★★★
July 22, 2024

Food was awesome and they take allergies seriously.

★★
Local Guide
June 22, 2024

literally atrocious

★★★★★
Local Guide
May 22, 2024

Food was excellent and wait staff was fantastic. The chocolate mousse is to die for! Parking: Paid lot ($5) right across the street in addition to on-street parking .

★★★★★
Local Guide
May 22, 2024

I really enjoyed my meal. I had the veggie scramble with the cutest poached eggs. Our server Katherine was fantastic. The decor is fun and chic.

★★★★★
Local Guide
May 22, 2024

Love the Look. Been around since the 30s so I had to see what its all about and it is good!

★★★★★
Local Guide
May 22, 2024

My Fiancé and I had an amazing time at Helen s. The longest-standing eatery, I ve ever dined in. We were joined by another couple and the experience was flawless. Our service, drinks, appetizers, and entrees were all top-notch! The ambiance was excellent and for a student of history, the vibe was immaculate.

★★★
May 22, 2024

This place was a great spot for my bff and I to catch up! Great service and ambiance. We went on 5/18/2024 and ordered the two completely different items and we both agreed they needed more seasoning (salt). We even tried to add sriracha and hot sauce but even that didn t help. would go a long way!

★★★★★
April 22, 2024

Great options on food. I had the eggs Benedict and it was okay. Sauce was lacking a little flavor but still good. Atmosphere is great and the service is awesome. Would definitely suggest getting there early as the place fills up fast for brunch.

★★
April 22, 2024

After living in RVA for a long time and having never been to Helens before and hearing good things, we finally made reservations! Let me start with the good points of our visit, our server was fantastic and the atmosphere was awesome (great playlist!). However, I have to say the food was below our expectations. I kept it simple and ordered a burger, man that thing came out like a hockey puck. My wifes fish was ok, but a bit dry as well. At the end of the day that was an expensive bill for the food we got. Maybe the other items on the menu are awesome, unfortunately, we wont be heading back to find out.

★★★★★
Local Guide
April 22, 2024

Great brunch spot! Nice staff, great food!

★★★★★
March 22, 2024

The food was perfection. The cocktails delicious and the atmosphere is vibey and cozy. Get the chocolate mousse. They were very busy and hustling hard. We were a 4 top and told our table was reserved for two hours which was a good heads up since we were meeting up with old friends and didn t want to feel rushed. Wheelchair accessibility: It is not wheelchair accessible

★★★★★
Local Guide
March 22, 2024

Friendly staff! Great local brunch spot The Virginia Benedict was amazing Food

★★★★★
February 22, 2024

Pacifico was out of this world so cold so crisp, beautifully scenery, pretty people. Great convos. No line bathroom, decore in franxe

★★★★★
Local Guide
February 22, 2024

Its quaint and cozy with this rustic smell to the place I enjoy. Im not sure if this especially geared towards the East Coast, but I love when breakfast places gives you a sausage patty and not sausage links for the price your paying. It is a little on the pricey end, but it was worth it! I especially enjoyed the pancakes and potatoes! The waitress was also really sweet!

★★★★★
February 22, 2024

The bartender is SO SO HOT !!!!!

★★★★★
February 22, 2024

The bartender is SO HOT!!!!

★★★★★
Local Guide
February 22, 2024

A little loud; however, food and service is great.

★★★★★
Local Guide
January 22, 2024

Awesome cocktails great staff and food was really good. Loved the atmosphere

Local Guide
January 22, 2024

Helen s keeps their gas burners on 24/7. Waste of gas and highly dangerous. Also their bathroom is definitely not to code. Not ADA friendly. All around bad vibes.

★★★★★
Local Guide
January 22, 2024

Cute little building with exceptional service and courtesy. Get the mac n cheese.

January 22, 2024

I dont know their tipping policy but me and some friends went at night for a club event on new years and only spent 6$ for one drink each and woke up with an 8$ charges and a full blow 28$ charge one one of my friends card that I guess some staff decided they needed or felt like they deserved as a tip for one drink?!? I hope it was worth it because me and my friends wont be back :( and my friend did contact the bank to depute the 28$ charge

★★★★★
January 22, 2024

I came with my parents. The food and service were fantastic. Despite some unforseen complications in the kitchen, the staff delivered top tier food, and the service was very courteous.

★★★★
December 22, 2023

Helens is certainly a Richmond staple through and through. The ambiance is impeccable, the food is delicious and beautifully presented, and the drinks are always satisfyingly strong. There are comments in other reviews alluding to rudeness from the staff, but I find their straightforward, no-nonsense approach refreshing and within reason given the often busy atmosphere. Whether youre looking to stop in for your weekend brunch or some late night cocktails, this should be a top contender.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2023

Always excellent food and service! For extra fun, make sure you visit in December when the place is decked out for Christmas

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2023

My best meal in Richmond so far. We ordered the Short Ribs and it was amazing. I mean really good. Savory, warm and perfect for a cold day. The staff was fantastic. It was a little expensive for the plate but we split it with and got the bread for an appetizer (also fantastic) so we thought it was worth it.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2023

Decorations are weird, quirky at best. Food was excellent. Server was awesome.

★★★★★
December 22, 2023

Great food, great atmosphere, and warm & welcoming service! Excellent breakfast menu. I dont know who needs to hear this but you can order a side of their sausage gravy with your chicken biscuit.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2023

Corned beef was a little underseasoned, curried potatoes were great, service was great

★★★★★
December 22, 2023

Best pancakes. And those curry potatoes are top notch. Ambiance is always something special.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2023

First time experience, loved everything about this place! Rockfish was spectacular as were my mussels. Great service, great atmosphere for upper-casual dining. You can see why theyve been around for so long.

★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2023

Great food and service

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2023

Cooks are some of the greatest I ve ever had. Anything they have made for me has been absolutely phenomenal. Especially Dylan S., top tier place to go!

★★★★★
December 22, 2023

Helena s is wonderful. Great food and service every time.

★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2023

Helens has always been a favorite. And inflation must be tough for all restaurants. But this go round was average. We had a resy and the place was empty but we still couldnt have a booth. Food was good but not amazing like usual Curried carrot app, Short rib and pesto pasta.

★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2023

Great drinks and food, just too small for how crowded it usually gets Vegetarian options: Has some actually tasty veg options Food : 5/5 |

★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2023

Patio vibes @helensrva 7/10 This was a great experience. The roasted brussel sprouts and artichokes were delicious and the handcrafted drinks were excellent. I also enjoyed the muscles though I forgot to get a picture. If you enjoy Seafood they are definitely something to put on the to-do list. Also the service was awesome. Yall could turn that patio music down just a smidge, cuz my ears had had enough but the overall experience was a very nice way to spend a Saturday afternoon in the Museum District of Richmond Virginia. Now that the weather is warming up I sense many more items in my future! Somebody take my debit card now!

★★★★★
December 22, 2023

We loved our dinner at Helen s! Hannah was an awesome server and was very helpful with all of our requests. The drinks and food were delicious!

December 22, 2023

no effort when making drinks, stole the money out of my purse when i left it and my vape !!

★★★★★
December 22, 2023

The food was great, everything tasted fresh and the server i had, had great service.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2023

Omg so good. The curry potatoes were perfect

December 22, 2023

Helens used PPP loans to pay for improvements to their patio.

★★★★★
December 22, 2023

I love Helen s Brunch or Drinks before a dinner . Special place .

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2023

Enjoyed a nice breakfast this morning. First visit. Friendly staff and the breakfast was very good. Will not be our last visit!

★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2023

Food was under seasoned and over cooked. Service was better than previous experiences.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2023

The food and service was fantastic. The lighting was very dim, so much so that it took away from the experience.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2023

Delicious, as always. Limited menu, which I love, and everything is v tasty.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2023

Vegetarian options: It was a chefs choice it was amazing Food

★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2023

Food is too expensive, though the pecorino truffle fries were delish. Would not recommend the $6 deviled egg. The $5 happy hour mojitos were tasty! Ask for the back room!

★★★
December 22, 2023

Went to Brunch and was disappointed with the food. We all had the blueberry pancakes with scrambled eggs and potatoes. Good effort but too much butter and oil in the meal. The pancakes tasted good but could taste straight butter and the eggs even had the oil/butter taste. It wasn t cheap and they could make it so much better because the wait staff and kitchen were working hard.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2023

Great food, nice people, cool vibe.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2023

We stumbled in and fell love! The food was excellent! Hot, seasoned, great portions and the curry potatoes! A must! Let me just say crispy edged pancakes! Simply to live for! The recipe is so good not syrup is even needed! Tender and flavorful! The veggie hash, the corn beef hash! When I say everything was soooo good we were left without words! A must try when in the fan district!

★★★★★
December 22, 2023

2nd time in 2 days as the first time it was so good. Had the scramble the 1st & the huoves rancheros on the 2nd morning. Delicious

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2023

Cozy atmosphere, good service and great food! We had the Mussels and carrots as small plates and the burger as an entree-- delicious! The fries were exceptional. And the drink specials were a good value!

December 22, 2023

Worst service from bar, ppl totally unwilling to help do not go there

December 22, 2023

TERRIBLE, RUDE SERVICE!!!!!

★★★★★
December 22, 2023

all the benedict breakfast options are so good! ive never had to go through too crazy of a wait. rylee was really helpful in picking out a cocktail for me.

★★★★★
December 22, 2023

I love Helen s, especially brunch on weekends. Veggie hash is flames, so delish cant go wrong with anything the brunch menu tbh. We had a great server at the bar Riley she was very attentive and nice. Great on a Wedsnesday night also, way more chill than the weekends. One of the best restaurants and bars in rva!

★★★★★
December 22, 2023

Those brunch cooks really know that theyre doin!

★★★★★
December 22, 2023

My favorite place to bring my favorite people

★★★★★
December 22, 2023

Best atmosphere in the fan since 1935! Cozy vibes, excellent service, and the most delicious food in Richmond. Obviously, this is my humble opinion, but I have lived here many years and have had the chance to taste the best that Richmond has to offer. Helen s is absolutely one of them. Brunch is also incredible - get the banana pancakes! Vegetarian options: Delicious small plates can be made vegetarian. Brunch serves vegetarian sausage. Dietary restrictions: Chef will work with any restriction. GF, vegan, vegetarian options always available. Kid-friendliness: Brunch is super kid friendly and dinner can be, too. The chef will gladly accommodate younger guests.

December 22, 2023

At least one Staff member is absolutely bad and should not be assisting customers.. her go to response is Im not your server. I just wanted to ask a question about Mimosa.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2023

The strawberry banana pancakes are awesome

Local Guide
December 22, 2023

The bouncer spit on someone. This is a trash establishment.

★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2023

The atmosphere is kind of cozy, but if you get seated in the middle or back, it s dark. Couldn t tell if it was day or night for breakfast. I got a spiked lemonade and a $19 Irish breakfast. The drink was solid, but the food was unbearably salty, and I LOVE salty food. Felt like everything was store bought besides the potato but couldn t even finish it. Not worth the price at all. Really bummed cause I ve heard good things and it has a nice look to it!

December 22, 2023

Gorgeous, beautifully decorated place, but inattentive and distracted bartenders that got our orders wrong and were too busy for us. The drinks were okay at best.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2023

As always, great atmosphere, great service, fine food!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2023

Adorable local restaurant Solid food, well prepared Food

★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2023

The apps are excellent!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2023

Lovely place for dinner ESPECIALLY at Christmas They have continued the heavy Christmas of a fan icon . get some Christmas spirit and yummy food!

★★★★★
December 22, 2023

Helen, John, and Umbart Donati are Superstars

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

A fantastic Richmond Institution! Full flavored New American cuisine. Strong drinks. Friendly staff. Definitely a Covid-conscious setting. Loved the Christmas decor

Local Guide
December 22, 2022

Terrible rude service, incredibly snobby staff . Look at my history and find a time i was ever so mad at a place I gave one star. Oh and the staff has harrassed me online rather than apologize. I dont expect the staff to apologize but harassing people takes the arragonce to another level. One person who claims to be a cook there has threatened me , cant confirm he works there but it seems it might be true. Dont take my word for anything and, please look up the health department reports on these guys.

★★★★★
December 22, 2022

The best food and the best staff in Richmond, hands down.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

Solid little bar, great Christmas lights.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

Delicious food, great cocktails!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

I have heard of Helens from many people and after all the build I have to say I am looking forward at going again! The atmosphere and decor was not what I was expecting but thats what made it so much better. What a sleek and well designed place. The staff friendly and help especially with food allergies.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

Delicious as always. Very busy on Sunday mornings

★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

Really quirky with delicious drinks and food. Both are very creative.

★★★★★
December 22, 2022

Best Benedict in Richmond

★★★★★
December 22, 2022

Very good Sunday brunch. Consistently good, opens 10am sunday

★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

Very sad that the brunch we ate this morning was as poorly made and highly priced as it was. $70 with tip for undercooked pancakes, powdery(?) bacon, bitter mimosas, and an absolutely burnt to a crisp (almost black) chicken biscuit. The staff were very courteous, very friendly, the vibe and the decor were sublime, but the food was extremely disappointing.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

Brunch was super good! I had chicken and biscuit - my husband got country scramble! Amazing

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

Very nice atmosphere. Small but spacious. Food was excellent and the staff was hospitable. The Hash and eggs were very good!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

Excellent food and service! Eclectic setting and old fan favorite!

★★★★★
December 22, 2022

We had our daughters reception outside. The staff made it beautiful and magical! Food was delicious and the attention to detail was amazing!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

Slaps

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

Had a great meal and a great time!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

Helens is always excellent. The short rib was perfect and well worth the somewhat high (for RVA) price. Service is always stellar as well.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

Only been here for the party atmosphere on Thursday night. If you re looking to catch a vibe, dance to good music, feel like you re in a crowded party, this is the place for you. Looking forward to coming here for brunch.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

Absolutely love the Irish breakfast for brunch, or the steak frites for dinner! A perfect place for a meal or drinks. Note that dinner is a slightly more formal crowd, brunch or late drinks more casual!

Local Guide
December 22, 2022

Waited there for 20+ minutes for a drink and the bartender didn t even attend to me even though I had been there longer than most people at the bar. I ended up having to leave because there was no point in wasting my time getting a drink there.

★★★★★
December 22, 2022

This place is magic!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

Went for brunch. Was blown away. Didn t expect much TBH. The food knocked my socks off. The curry potatoes were a treat. Staff was super friendly. Sampled the dishes of the party I was with. Everything was superb.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

Food was delicious. Parking: Park in the back.

★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

Never tried the food, the drinking and varied crowd are very fun though.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

Food is always great. Love the atmosphere here!!!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

Helen s is a cozy and inviting restaurant with great cocktails and even better brunch. It gets better every time I go! Highly recommend the Shrimp + Grits and pancakes.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

Food was amazing. It was highly recommended to us and we couldn t wait to try it. At first, you might be underwhelmed by the menu. Just know that everything we got, it was incredible. They don t have a ton to choose from. But from what you do choose, you ll be blown away. And the portion sizes are perfect. Recommend.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

My photos do not do justice to the fine meal we had at Helens. My drink was the Desert Rose which I enjoyed thoroughly but tequila and rose water are not for everyone! My husband had the burger which was fresh and dressed with pimento cheese for a spicy zing. Since it was a hot day, I had a light meal of salmon on crostini and the beet salad. The salad was especially refreshing, having orange slices, goat cheese and walnuts with the beets. The only caution I would give about Helens is that the noise level is pretty energetic- dont expect a quiet, intimate evening!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

Great brunch, Id recommend the homemade corn beef hash. Dinner - Shrimp and grits

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

Great brunch spot, fun bar. Richmond staple.

★★★★★
December 22, 2022

So incredibly impressed with Helens. Food is amazing, the interior is charming, service was great. Best place to get brunch in the fan, this is my new favorite bar.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

So Ive spent the better part of 5 years overseas in Europe. During that time Ive visited about 13 different countries. 6 of them i can say i had mussels in as its one of my favorite foods. I must say, Helens mussels were absolutely the BEST Ive ever had. The way the flavors complimented each other without either one being too overpowering... phenomenal! Moving on to the Chicken Saltimbocca... My goodness what a great dish! The capers are a nice touch. My mom had the halibut so I of course had to steal some and THAT was also a great dish! The bartenders attentive and efficiency (shout out to Claire!) The restaurant overall had a cozy dimly lit vibe but not too dark. Id HIGHLY recommend this place. Presentation and atmosphere is all there!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

Helens has great upscale good during the day and at night it turns into a groovy club. Lots of dancing, drinks and good people.

★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

I just dont get the hype... Sat at the bar. Ordered a burger and a beer. Was never asked for another one or a refill of water. Burger was okay. Fries were great! Its a pretty pricey place so I guess I expected better service. It was my second visit. First time I was with someone else, this time I was solo at the bar. At one point one of the bartenders came in from outside, passed by an empty table and asked me for my salt and pepper shakers to take to another table. Seemed really odd. Probably wouldnt have thought twice about it but I was already frustrated about the inattentive service. Ill go again and revisit my review.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

Excellent food. Fresh ingredients with so much flavor.

★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

We were a little disappointed,both had known about it for years by eating next door and across the street. We thought it was more upscale . While the food was good, the atmosphere was more neighborhood bar then notch above. The Waitress barely checked on us,even though we could see her. Another Waitress checked several times.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

This place claps bro, cowboy tuesdays

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

Oh, my! The eggs Benedict was yummy! The cold brew coffee was an excellent complement. The service was extraordinary.

★★★
December 22, 2022

Loud, hot, and yummy. We went here for Sunday brunch. Before we went, we called to see if they take reservations. They do not, which is fine, so we asked how long the wait was. They responded that they cannot even provide an estimate of the current wait time because we were not there - which makes absolutely no sense. We still went. It was extremely loud and hot inside. It felt like we were out at a club on a Saturday night hahaha. We had to yell across the table at each other in order to hear each other. Super awkward for a Sunday brunch, if you ask me. But the food was fantastic! I recommend the juevos rancheros or biscuits and gravy. Just wish it didn t have a club vibe on Sunday morning. So strange.

★★★★★
December 22, 2022

Best eggs Benedict!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

Great the after Pride crowd. Great service

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

Best Brunch in a LONG time. My family visited on Sunday for brunch (our first time here) and we were blown away with the quality of food, service, and establishment. Serving brunch since 1935 is the sign out front. Here s the real review this morning: my 1st grader wants to go there this morning before school to get more of the best pancakes ever . (You can t beat that Monday morning review). I ordered the Veggie Hash (I m normally a strictly meat/potatoes kind of guy) and was amazed. Curry base made it perfect. My wife ordered the traditional Eggs Benedict - we were very impressed with the fresh quality of their clearly homemade, perfected sauce. (Waitress recommended that I order a side and put it on my hash next time). Kids ordered a la carte sides actually. Pancakes, huge biscuit, and sausages were to die for (they met a high standard since I m from Wisconsin). Best of all, the coffee was excellent. Too often a popular brunch spot has great food but poor coffee (sorry, I hate First Watch s coffee and is a huge negative for me). Very smooth, and plenty of refills. They had Shrimp/Grits on the menu, which I rarely order. Next time I ll ask them to add Shrimp to my Veggie Hash with a side of Hollandaise sauce. I mentioned that to the waitress as we were leaving and she agreed it was a great idea. (If you try it before I do, comment below). Sorry no food pictures, we forgot. Wife didn t try their Bloody Mary - next time. I ll update more food pics next time. A few pics here for a great capture of the atmosphere and 1935 style though using iPhone14ProMax. Thanks Helen s for a great brunch!

★★★★★
December 22, 2022

Some of the best food in Richmond that you never expected. Not only that but the nightlife if always welcoming.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

Amazing atmosphere. Great food. Sexy humans!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

It was country night, super random but I loved it haha Austin was a good time and he made amazing lemon drops!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2022

I liked this place, it is an atmosphere like for a dinner with friends or also a date. The food was delicious and I loved my margarita .

★★★★★
December 22, 2022

Loved the Christmas decor for the holidays & the pasta was super good!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2021

This place is so cozy and lovely. Good food and excellent cocktails.

Local Guide
December 22, 2021

My friend and I went here on the 11th of March (2020, i updated to fix typos), around 8pm. We walk in, request a booth and the waiter (male, around 25 or so) immediately told us we couldnt have a booth because it was for dinners only. We didnt even get the chance to tell him we wanted food too. Maybe he got the impression we were there to drink, that wasnt the case at all. No big deal, we said wed sit on the bar side. He wouldnt even guide us to a table or tell us to sit where we wanted. He just walked away. The whole time his body language was very hostile, he was abrupt and rude. We ordered a drink but decided to go someplace else where the atmosphere wasnt so negative. Maybe he had personal things going on at home, or maybe his previous guests were rude and he was projecting his anger. Regardless, the way he treated us was unacceptable. We wont be going back, there are ample amounts of restaurants in Carytown. You lost a potential regular customer that night.

★★★★★
December 22, 2021

Best food and best vibe in Richmond!

December 22, 2021

HORRIBLE SERVICE we were seated and it took forever for anyone to come to our table to take our beverage order. I had to go to the hostess to remind her she seated us. The food was ok. Nothing special. The French fries were terrible. They were some awful frozen fries. Isn t ME one of the countries main potato producers? What about fresh cut fries? The server never came back to see if we wanted a second beer. I had to go to the bar to get another. We waited for the check forever. When we finally left, there was a long wait for people to be seated. I guess Helen s can t figure it out. Bring the check to people who are ready to leave so you can seat waiting customers. If you are desperate make the stop.

★★★★★
December 22, 2021

A+ service and food. Everything was perfect! Ordered the Virginia Benedict & Irish breakfast

★★★★★
December 22, 2021

We had the back room with seven people- it was perfect for a group dinner. Claire was amazing and took great care of us. The food was incredible. To start we had the mussels, beets, brussels and artichokes, peach and tomato salad, fried mushrooms, and the special watermelon carpaccio salad- everything was delicious. We also had great cocktails. Helens is a great vibe and checks all the boxes- Richmond is lucky to have such a cool, timeless spot

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2021

Okay, I ve never had avocado toast in my life until Helen s. I do love avocado all ways though but never put it on toast. This was delectable and there was smears of some sort of pesto on the plate, mmmmmm! Try this low key RIC gem Oh & the bloody was a plus :)

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2021

Wow - We have been missing out on Helen s! I ve lived in Richmond for over 20 years and have always driven by this corner wondering if i should try Helen s. Now I want to go back in time and tell myself to go go go and eat there! Everything was so well plated that we almost didn t want to disturb the presentation. Each plate was colorful, clean, and mouthwatering, and each tasted as good as it looked. We got the watermelon salad (pictured), roasted carrots, and fried green tomatoes as starters for our table. Each one was great, I don t think I could pick a favorite. Freshness, contrast, brightness and texture popped on every plate. For mains, we got the pork chop, chicken pasta, and halibut. These definitely filled us up, but again, the presentation and flavors were spot on. The service matched the food - flawless and friendly. This is perhaps my new favorite restaurant in Richmond, and will rush to make up for lost time - we will be back very soon!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2021

Love this place! AIDEN, FRANKIE, AND TONY ARE GREAT

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2021

Helens is a gem in RVA. Never ever had a bad dining experience here. The food is elevated and the staff is super down to earth. Cannot recommend enough!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2021

Amazing unique food and drink experience in the heart of the fan/carytown.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2021

Awesome food and service

★★★★★
December 22, 2021

Nice bar, good drink prices. Can either sit outside by the street or on the side outside. The inside is cool too. The mens bathroom is small so dont expect to much there. Good people and seems like a fun spot

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2021

I cannot say enough great things about our experience here!!!! My husband has a tree nuts allergy and the chef and waitress took very careful care to make sure that the items we ordered were safe! I was very impressed!!! Our cocktails were delicious and many! The food was unreal!!!! We all ordered different things and enjoyed every bite!!! I definitely suggest making a reservation and the holiday decor will make any Grinch s heart grow a few sized!!!! The staff was awesome!!!!! We always felt tended too and taken care of!!!!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2021

Amazing experience! Cannot recommend to enough people. The food is amazing and the drinks are fun! Highly recommend

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2020

Fabulous! Fantastic Bloody Marys.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2020

The brunch here was pretty amazing! Great service and no wait on a weekend was a huge plus!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2020

Friendly service

★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2020

It was little things that spoiled the visit. No one seemed to be in charge of greeting and seating guests. We were seated quickly after I asked.The Breakfast BLT was fine as were the curried potatoes. The The Chicken Biscuit was not. A thin piece of chicken stuck in the middle of lots of breading which was fried just shy of inedible. Plus the honey pepper bacon was so heavy on the black pepper that I could still taste it 15 minutes later. Two sandwiches and one glass of ice tea for $29 would feel a little high under normal circumstances. When one of the sandwiches was was as poor as this one, we werent impressed. Nothing wrong with the vibe or the decor, but with as many choices as there are in RVA, its not likely well be back.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2020

Shots shots shots

★★★★★
December 22, 2020

Fantastic, super cute, delicious. Had the bay Benedict and my eggs were perfect. Curry potatoes were also so good. Highly recommend

★★★★★
December 22, 2020

Excellent food and excellent service !! Very good experience altogether!!!

December 22, 2020

I recently just came from here and the staff there was just horrible. Helens is a drop off location for donations for a mutual aid fund and that s what I was doing. A blonde, medium girl that works in the front was very rude and off putting. Very rude and semi loud and didn t help at all. When she saw me she literally had this look of disgust on her face. I was carrying 5 bags filled with canned goods and other things. She rudely told me donations are in the back. This was my first time using this location so I wasn t sure and when I asked she just pointed around the corner. I worked in customer service for over 4 years and I understand things get stressful but it was unacceptable and embarrassing to be yelled at in front of the entire restaurant when I was trying to do good and drop off donations. Mad_rva should definitely reconsider having them as a drop off location.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2020

Delicious, refreshing food w/ a nice, secluded patio seat

★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2020

Delicious food, place is too small and parking sucks but must try the shrimp and grits. Friendly staff

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 22, 2020

Ive been coming here for nearly 15 years now so I figured its time to finally leave a review. Chef Clay is a treasure. Helens is a gift. Do not take it for granted.