Sidewalk Cafe

10/04/2008 Posted by MustReadThis

I have honestly never left a review for a restaurant but- I felt it was necessary. I was really disappointed. My bf and I USED to eat there frequently. Don't think we will be gong back. We love the chicken pesto sandwich and the Cajun Hash and that is what kept us coming back until today. We came in to a barren Side Walk cafe- which I remember use to be packed as soon as it opened... anyhow we sit down order, chat with the nice older black lady.. eat everything is delicious- no problems.. we get our check for $22.00 and give her two 20 dollar bills ($40) she brings back 8 one dollar bills. Obviously wrong change- she shorted us $10 bucks. We told her the change was wrong and she quickly new her exact response- "Oh, did I short you 10" PRETTY STRANGE she knew exactly what she shorted us.... Makes no sense... we are good tippers, UNBELIEVABLE- I am wondering if that it why it was so barren- is that the new deal shorting the customer's change? Be Careful! SHADY!!!

Pros: Great Chx pesto and cajun hash

Cons: TAKE YOUR MONEY- SHORT CHANGE!

04/12/2008 Posted by YMEM

I went to Sidewalk to drink, and the atmosphere is pretty typical of a Fan bar - dark and narrow - but it wasn't crowded and the patio was available on a warm Friday night. Unfortunately, we felt like we couldn't order shots because every time we did, our waitress asked if she could take one with us (not if we could buy her one), but then subsequently put it on our bill if we didn't say no (I guess an akward "sure," followed by an are-you-serious-type laugh means "please let us buy you a drink" to some people). So from that point on, although we wanted to order more drinks, we did not because we feared we'd also have to pay for the waitstaff to drink. Additionally, she didn't want to wait on you unless it involved taking shots on your tab (it took about 20 minutes to get a check, but about 3 to get those shots!), and she slurred whenever she spoke. I think we now know why it was the only fan bar not crowded on a Friday night.

03/01/2008 Posted by wiebeljm

Horrible Serivice. That's all I have to say about the place. I walked in there about 1:15 in the AM. I wasn't there for food, I was there to order drinks. They were happy to take my drink order, but letting me drink it was another story. They gave me about a minute to drink it, and of course I didn't finish it by then. The waitress promptly grabbed the drink out of my hand and took it away and dumped it. I protested, but the waitress would have none of it. This was rediculous. If they had to close the bar I understand, don't serve me. But they decided to sell me a drink. If you're going to do that than at least just refuse to sell to me. The bastard's sold me a drink, and then didn't let me drink it. Screw the Sidewalk Cafe in Richmond, VA. There's plenty of other places to eat and drink in the Fan of Richmond. Sidewalk is only for the stuck-up and retarded crowd. NICE SERVICE SIDEWALK CAFE. I MAKE IT MY GOAL TO STEER CUSTOMERS AWAY FROM YOUR BUSINESS. I would use a profanity, but then my comment wouldn't be posted on this site. %$*@ OFF Sidewalk Cafe. I counted on you and you DID NOT deliver.

Pros: none

Cons: Horrible service

10/18/2007 Posted by sobored

This place can serve a good crab cake sandwich but not good enough that I will ever subject myself to such crude service. I went one time to meet a friend there for lunch and we waited at the bar for our food to be ready. Our order can out very quickly and I had 10 minutes before I neded to go back to work. I started eating some of my food from the bag since I didin't have time to sit down and eat the whole thing there when the waitress said she wouldn't stand for me to eat without a plate. So I put my sandwich on the plate took 2 bites and then put it back in the bag and my friend paid for our lunches. I thanked the waitress and proceeded to leave when I was yelled at "thanks for helping out the girls in the back honey!!" I said no problem (because I thought at first that she said something like "thanks for coming" or something to that effect.....couldn't hear too great since it was kind of loud. I asked my friend if she had said what I thought she said and he said yeah...she was yelling at u. That incident made me very upset because I always tip when I pay (how was I to know he didn't leave a tip) and second of all I didn't ask for the plate since I wasn't goin to be there for over 15 minutes anyways. I won't be going back.

02/24/2007 Posted by richmondradio

WOW!!!!! This could be the worst place in Richmond...if not the United States! The food was TERRIBLE!!! We ordered our burger medium rare, they were BLACK!!!!! The Calamaria came with a SOUR CREAM dip!!! The keg beer was not right, a bit watered-down. The best part was the table next to us. It was about 5:30PM and the trash bags next to us were WASTED! They would get up to go and do some SNOW in bathroom once in a while and the rest of the time one of them, a stripper no doubt, was doing "quarter qrinds" on her friends!!! What a great place!! Oh, by the way, they were all in their LATE 30s!!!!! NEVER GO HERE!!!!!!! EVER!!!!!

Pros: Terrible entertainment

Cons: EVERYTHING!!!

07/12/2005 Posted by monayo

I've tried about 25 items on the menu (I come about 2 or 3 times a week) and everything wasn't just good, it was seriously very tasty! The best spaghetti (Spaghetti A La Greek with meatsauce) I've ever tried. Saganaki and the Hummus Plate are both excellent appetizers. Also the best chicken ceasar salad in Richmond. It can get pretty packed so get there after lunch rush and dinner rush. Very good prices (example: Spaghetti a la Greek with huge "side" salad, and bread feeds 4 people, costs 8.95!) Take the rest home =) or share it with a group for a quality inexpensive night out.

Pros: tasty food, inexpensive, variety

Cons: service slow at times, rush hours packed

04/19/2004 Posted by uvachief

Food is good and the price is excellent. Must eat in Richmond. Attracts a younger, 20 something crowd but the food attracts just about everyone. Hard to spend $30.00 on dinner at this place. Eat there as often as you can and try everything on the menu. Pretty loud as the night goes on so if you are looking for a romantic restaurant this ain't it.

Pros: Food, Price

Cons: , Ambience, Noise

02/07/2003 Posted by jjstack

Sidewalk has a vast variety of food on the regular menu but also has fine dining seafood catches as nightly specials. The bathrooms need a little work. Brunch can't be beat! Never had a meal we didn't like. Carbonara is excellent!

Pros: Menu Variety, Great Prices

Cons: Bathrooms

12/25/2002 Posted by anais

Sidewalk is one of the great, cozy neighborhood reastaurants in the Fan. Excellent food, great service and PACKED on the weekends for brunch. Anytime is a good time to go to Sidewalk.

09/18/2002 Posted by kristin923

Being a native of the Pittsburgh area, it's hard to find a good fix when I'm craving buffalo wings in Richmond. I was pleasantly surprised, then, when I tasted the yummy wings at this nearby neighborhood bar/ grill. The food at Sidewalk is consistently good, and pretty cheap, too. The menu has loads of good options. I've not yet been disappointed with a selection. The food is also served promptly and the waitresses don't leave empty drinks for more than a minute. Beware though! If you are there near closing time, there is this one waitress who will start to scream and steal the drink from under your nose at about 20 till 2:00. It's best to just leave, as the yelling only intensifies.

Pros: great food, great price, great atmosphere

Cons: one scary waitress