Confession time: when we think of “happy hour”, we don’t necessarily think only of deals on drinks. Instead, we tend to think about that hour after work when we want to toast to how happy we are to not be working anymore 😂 Whether we’re at home in RVA or traveling, we also love happy hours for a fun date together, or a way to chill for a few minutes before getting dinner or moving on to our evening activity of choice. So, to meet our criteria for a very happy time, we think happy hours in Richmond VA are best when they have a unique or cool environment, fantastic drinks of some sort, and tasty snacks available so we’re not “happying” on an empty stomach (bonus points if there are deals on these last two things). And the best part about this list of 13 date night happy hours? These restaurants and bars are all right in our backyard, at home in Richmond.
The cutest RVA happy hour: Garnett’s Cafe
Garnett’s is one of the most under-hyped restaurants in the Richmond, and easily the cutest Richmond sandwich shop we have. But it’s one of our go-to date nights when we just want to be casual – and especially if we want to be outside. At Garnett’s every night is date night, and the offer any two menu items and a bottle of wine (or pitcher of beer if you’re dining in) for $33.
Not long ago, we ordered Garnett’s online, and added in the order comments that we’d like to use a picnic basket. Luke stopped at the curb so I could run in and pick it up, and our basket, full of sandwiches, chips, and wine (plus a blank and environmentally-friendly disposable cutlery and cups) was waiting for me on the bar like a perfect picture. With our bottle of white wine, Luke got the Big Daddy (🤦🏽♀️) while I, personally, recommend the Cali Club, and we both made sure to get chips and their house-made pickles as sides.
We could’ve gone across the street to enjoy our picnic, but instead we drove to Libby Hill Park, just in time for the sunset. We watched solitary people walk their dogs, parents run around in the park with their kids, teenagers lounging on the grass with containers of… some beverage… and even watched a girl get her senior portraits taken with Richmond as the backdrop. The cicadas started singing as the sun got lower, and a gentle breeze sprang up. Truly, Garnett’s date night “special” has given us one of those core memories that we’ll always treasure… and will always go back to for more.
- https://garnettscafe.com/
- 2001 Park Ave
The most cultured happy hour in Richmond VA: VMFA
If you’d rather have your happy hour feel lowkey bougie, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) is a great option. On Friday nights, head over to the VMFA’s Best Cafe, located on the first floor of the museum and overlooking their reflection pool and sculpture garden. Wines are discounted, and there’s often live music playing.
When I worked in the city of Richmond, my team and I would often do happy hours here on Fridays, and Luke’s work friends used to do them regularly, too. It’s so much fun to come with a group and hang out on the lawn with wine and snacks. Or, when the weather is too hot, DJs and other entertainers will set up in the museum’s Atrium, where you can either take part in the music and dancing, or simply enjoy people watching from the tables and chairs they set up.
Once you finish your drinks and snacks, make sure you clean up after yourself and then you can head into the exhibit halls to peruse any of the VMFA collection. You can also enjoy one of their traveling exhibits, though these usually require a ticket purchase. Personally, last time we were at VMFA for an RVA date night, we stuck to the Art Nouveau permanent collection on the 3rd floor. In my opinion, there’s nothing like a little Alphonse Mucha to add glamour to an evening!
- https://vmfa.museum/
- 200 N. Arthur Ashe Boulevard
Make it a Short Pump happy hour: Yaya’s Cookbook
Short Pump feels more than a little like suburban hell sometimes – crazy traffic, not a ton of trees, and lots and lots of shopping centers. But in the midst of all the chain stores, strip malls, and the actual mall, you have places like Yaya’s Cookbook. Located right next to the Regal Short Pump movie theater, Yaya’s Asian-fusion and really flippin’ cool decor makes it a super easy date night AND one of the highlights of Short Pump’s food scene. And their happy hour is nothing to sneeze at, as daily from 3-6:30pm, you can find discounted drinks, sushi, and apps on their happy hour menu. We only discovered this place because it’s close to the part of Richmond that Luke and I both used to work in, and sometimes I’d drop by after work to meet him and his team for a drink or two.
When it comes to their menu, I am personally extremely addicted to their veggie gyoza and always have to order my own portion… otherwise Luke won’t be able to get a single chopstick in edgewise 😆 While Luke sometimes prefers some of the traditional cocktails, I love their “Bad Girl” cocktail and could happily drink them all night. That said, their bar menu is really innovative and tasty, and you’ll find that many of their bartenders also work at some of the edgier places in the city of Richmond, which makes the creativity of the drinks no surprise at all.
- Since their website is intended solely for online ordering, you can check their happy hour details here: https://www.rvahappyhours.com/directory/yayas-cookbook/
- 11674 West Broad Street
The most upscale happy hour in Richmond: the bar at The Jefferson’s Lemaire Restaurant
If you’re a fan of dark wood paneling lining glamorously historic buildings, then you’re going to be in seventh heaven here. When Richmond locals think of a ~fancy~ meal, Lemaire is usually the first place that comes to mind. The food here – whatever meal you choose, from their famous brunch to their renowned dinner – is some of the best in Richmond, and we’re dang proud of it. Lemaire is housed inside The Jefferson Hotel, built around the turn of the 19th century to accommodate the wealthiest of visitors to the area, which explains the lavish look of every inch of this place, which has remained unchanged over the last century or so.
When you walk into the hotel from the doors nearest the valet area, stop for a moment to be stunned by the incredible stained glass panels and ceiling. Then hang a right, behind a wood and frosted glass-paneled screen to fine Lemaire. Have a seat on any side of the four-sided bar and order a couple of drinks For me, the White Sands was the winner on their cocktail menu, but the Road Less Traveled that Luke ordered runs it a close second. The White Sands is light and dry, while the Road Less Traveled has bitters and pomegranate juice to bring out every good part of the rye whisky, and I almost stole it from him 😂
- https://www.lemairerestaurant.com/
- 101 W Franklin St
Make it a Forest Hill happy hour: Laura Lee’s (+ delicious mocktails!)
Laura Lee’s is… okay, I just had to Google this to figure out what it means, but they call themselves an updated version of a fern bar. While that may be true, we know them as a neighborhood spot with the charm of many of the bars and restaurants in the Fan, but the bustle of Richmond city. Sure, it gets plenty loud in the tiny dining room, but you’ve got unique glassware for every drink on the bar and an innovative bar program with cocktails that range from simple (like the Seasonal Spritz that’s just St. Germaine, lime, mint, and prosecco), to the unique (like the Taj Mahal with mezcal, ginger liqueur, turmeric, thyme, and lemon), to even the non-alcoholic (please get the elderflower lemonade – it’s amazing). And to make it even better, their food is fabulous. They offer #meatlessmondays and Wine and Pasta Wednesdays that will definitely make your mouth water in anticipation.
- https://lauraleesrva.com/index.php
- 3410 Semmes Avenue
The most deliciously artisan RVA happy hour: Heritage
We’ve talked about elevated and artisan cocktail menus before, but Heritage has always taken it to another level. We love sitting at the bar when we go to Heritage, because a) the bartenders are always super social and nice to chat with, and b) with all the droppers and different pours they use to make their concoctions, they look like they’re doing alchemy behind the bar, and it’s exceedingly fun to watch.
While we’re usually there for a celebration dinner or date night on the weekend, we’ve seen that they offer a dedicated happy hour from 5-6:30 on Wednesday and Thursday, with discounted drinks and a selection of regular and seasonal snacks for $5. And we can attest that the cocktails are all thoughtfully crafted, and the roasted broccoli appetizer is so good it’s frickin’ insane. Their drinks menu changes regularly and seasonally, and happy hour doesn’t include their artisan cocktails. BUT… it’s worth paying full price for things like the “Tip of the Tongue” (I’m a sucker for passionfruit) or the “Howlin’ for You” (we are both also suckers for gin drinks).
Just remember that Heritage is in the Fan, which means parking can be a bitch and a half, so give yourself a few extra minutes if you’re on a timeline.
- http://www.heritagerva.com/
- 1627 West Main St.
Make it a happy hour that’s bougie but chill: Jardin
Wine can be an intimidating space to get into, especially if you’re a newbie, or if you’ve only dabbled in the past. After all, we all have at least one friend that supplies pretty decent wine (which takes the thinking out of it for us), andddd we all most likely have another friend that just picks wine by which one has the prettiest label. Neither of these is a bad thing, but Jardin gives you the opportunity to be just as involved as you want to be in your wine selection for the evening. When you walk inside, you’re greeted with a wide bar on your right, and a wall of wines directly in front of you and to your left.
If everything to the left seems overwhelming, head to the bar and start asking questions based on what you think you’d like. You can order flights, bottles, glasses – whatever ends up being the right move for you – as well as all kinds of snacks and small plates from wine regions around the world. And then you can head up a couple of stairs and outside to Jardin’s utterly vibey patio. We love an early afternoon stop here for a glass (or bottle 😅) and some cured meats and cheese. This is one of the few places in Richmond that can really make us feel like we’re abroad, maybe somewhere in Spain or France. C’est la vie!
- https://www.jardin-rva.com/
- 1520 West Main St.
The RVA happy hour with the best views: The Hof or Legend Brewing
Regardless of which side of the river you happen to be on, there’s a casual watering hole with a view just waiting for you.
If you head over to Scott’s Addition, you’ll find the Hofheimer’s Rooftop, which they describe as “a quaint outdoor venue offering sweeping views of local landmarks”, complete with specialty cocktails and beers (many of which are local), Neapolitan pizzas, and often live music. One of the cool things about The Hof’s Rooftop is that even though it has become a well-known spot in Richmond’s nightlife scene, you almost feel like you’re in the Mission District in San Francisco, enjoying curated drinks on a rooftop while the city buzzes around you. The yuzu basil Collins was tasty but a little on the sweet side, while the Roseberry Rum Sour was dry and fruity, and the Amethyst Eclipse was absolutely perfectly tart. The cocktails here may not be the most off-the-wall in the city, but they’re definitely crowd-pleasers, and this cocktail/happy hour menu has something for every palate.
- https://www.hofheimerbuilding.com/the-rooftop
- 2818 West Broad St.
On the complete other side of town in Manchester, you’ve got Legend Brewing. Manchester is one of the neighborhoods in Richmond that has been exploding with development over the last few years – new apartments and revitalization efforts for existing commercial spaces are popping up at an incredible rate. But Legend Brewing has been here since 1994, well before the recent rush. They have a 180 seat restaurant and a 200 seat patio, where we absolutely recommend enjoying your happy hour. You can always sit inside if the humidity or weather isn’t the best, but you won’t want to when you rock up and check out the killer view of downtown Richmond’s skyline from Legend Brewing’s spacious outdoor deck. They offer both “halfy hour” – $2 half-pints, $5 half-pitchers, and $6 apps on Monday-Thursday from 2-4pm – and happy hour – similar deals plus $1 off beers Monday-Friday from 4-6pm – here, but you can obviously enjoy delicious and award-winning Legend beer and other beverages and snacks any time.
- https://www.legendbrewing.com/
- 321 West 7th St.
The most social happy hour in RVA: Pizza & Beer of Richmond (PBR)
Dude, what says “fun happy hour” like cornhole, bocce ball, beer, and pizza? I could literally leave it at that, but I do have a word count for this post, so I’ll elaborate. Located just south of Boulevard, right in the midst of a whole bunch of new development, you’ve got PBR in a huge old warehouse building, with an impressively large outdoor area full of tables and cornhole boards. Summertime here can get massively busy, but once you get a spot, you can order one of their creative, Neapolitan-style pizzas and anything from crowd-pleasing cocktails to pitchers of beer (which, incidentally, are $5 off during happy hour, from 3-6pm during the week, and 3-9pm on Tuesdays).
This is definitely a happy hour we recommend doing with friends, just because we feel like games are always more fun with more people, but we’ve still had plenty of fun going on our own as a date night and enjoying cocktails and a couple games of cornhole while we wait for our pizza to come out.
- https://pbrva.com/
- 2553 West Cary St
The most classically Richmond RVA happy hour: Buddy’s
Just follow the iconic, blue curved arrow sign on the building at the corner of Patterson Ave and Sheppard St to hit up Buddy’s, one of Richmond’s favorite neighborhood spots for brunch, drinks, or karaoke night since 1982. They offer perhaps the longest (and therefore happiest?) happy hour on this list, which runs from 11am-7pm every single weekday. While most of the places on this list offer beer AND cocktails, Buddy’s has a mix of local craft and bigger-name beer offerings – and a small wine selection – on their menu. If you want food with your happy hour, Buddy’s offers your standard bar food fare, but they do it really, really well. Big, delicious burgers and sandwiches, tots to die for, and all at a really affordable price point. Add to that, this hole in the wall gives classic Fan vibes from top to bottom so it’s no surprise that you’ll see a diverse group of neighborhood locals gathering here for a can or pint. And maybe a drunk-singalong 😉
- https://www.buddysplace.net/
- 600 N Sheppard St
Richmond happy hour, but add games: Bingo Beer Co or River City Roll
Classic arcade games do something for a lot of us – maybe it’s the nostalgia talking, but there’s not much more fun than playing skee-ball or shooting basketballs with friends or a date. Literally, I have hogged a skee-ball machine to myself, even though I have a permanent plus-one who might also like to play… good thing he humors me 😅 Or maybe you’d rather rack ‘em up at a pool table so you can have a cool pool shark moment. Whatever your choice, Bingo Beer Co has you covered. Bonus points, though, if you show up to one of their bingo nights, especially if it’s drag bingo – you truly can’t miss it.
If you’re not feeling the games this time, that’s cool too – try some of their house beers (Bingo is a lager-focused brewery), order one of their craft cocktails, or post up on their patio, complete with fire pits for the ultimate cozy evening. The whole point of Bingo Beer Co is to help people play, chill out, and have fun. While you do have an onsite brewery as well as a craft cocktail menu, it’s worth noting that they also serve Ninja Kombucha by the can, so you can still have the fun without the buzz.
- https://bingobeerco.com/
- 2900 West Broad Street
I’ve always avoided bowling – something about the weird shoes and the fact that my ball always ends up in the gutter just made me hard pass. But when we attended an event at boutique bowling alley River City Roll shortly after it opened, the retro vibe and delicious food and drinks easily lulled me into feeling better about donning the shoes and giving a few frames a whirl, and it ended up being a great choice. Nowadays, happy hour here is variable by day, but runs 5-7pm Tuesday-Friday (but extends to 9pm on Thursdays), and then from 3-5pm on weekends, and they offer discounts on rail cocktails, house wines, and select draft and classic cocktails – bonus points if you time your drinks with their full live music calendar! Or reserve a lane or two in advance and enjoy playing a few frames with a ball in one hand and a cocktail in the other. Order a couple of shareable plates, and then it’s a party!
- https://www.rivercityroll.com/
- 939 Myers St
Make it a Midlothian happy hour: Sidecar Cocktail Lounge
While plenty of the restaurants on the Southside – which tend to be larger and more suburb-friendly – do offer happy hour specials, we love the experience when we visit Sidecar Cocktail Lounge. Located in a pretty unassuming shopping center at Robious Rd and Winterfield Rd, Sidecar is a rum-forward cocktail bar and the brainchild of the same folks who own Toast Restaurant, which is right next door. But when you walk into Sidecar, the vibe is entirely different. Where Toast has a dark wood tavern vibe, Sidecar is sleek and posh, with a distinctly mid-century, tropical twist. Thing green velour chairs, gold hardware, and a really Instagrammable plant wall with a neon “Sidecar” sign. It feels like a concept you’d find in the Fan, but it’s got that quiet, suburban feel at the same time.
Happy hour here runs from 4-6pm, and they offer drink specials and small plates. It’s worth noting that while they aren’t discounted, you can absolutely make a happy hour out of ordering one of their customizable rum flights, just like Luke does whenever we’re there. That, of he orders a Manhattan or an Old Fashioned and asks the bartender to surprise him with a new spirit. I’m not a rum-sipper, and even I enjoyed the educational aspect that came with that warm rum burn. For those who aren’t that into spirits on their own, Sidecar also offers plenty of beers, wine, and other cocktails, so you won’t leave dissatisfied.
- https://www.sidecarcocktaillounge.com/
- 3730 Winterfield Rd. #200
One thing about Richmond is that there are always new places popping up,
and older places trying new things.
If you don’t see a happy hour here that strikes your fancy, make sure to check out https://www.rvahappyhours.com/ for an extensive list of other available
happy hours in the Richmond, VA area.
Keep this list around for later – pin it now!
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