Family Meal – Richmond

Loved the food, loved the ambiance, loved the music! What a great spot! Would definitely recommend!

The service was a litttllleeee bit creepy but the meatloaf was pretty darn good. But I tried my friends friend chicken and I’ll have to pass.

We came here after doing a family photo shoot for Father’s day because it was close by. Let me start by saying our waitress was very rude. When we tried to order for the kids the waitress cut us off from speaking to ask the kids and she still missed one of their orders. When all the our orders came out we had one child who apparently didn’t have food not to mention 5 of our meals had hair in them. This was not my first visit here but it will be the last.

The fried chicken was great, it came with…4 pieces? I think. Very generous with that portion. My fiancé had the trout, said it wasn’t anything special. The chicken pot pie poppers were good but not a good portion size for the price we paid

Visited Family Meal for brunch on Saturday. While everyone (large group of 8) enjoyed their food, the service was painfully slow. The length of time it took to flag down a waitress and get drinks/​food overshadowed the dishes. We were also one of a few tables in the restaurant, so it was hard to blame the service on too many patrons. Will visit again in a few months when this is sorted out.

Name is very misleading. Not a very family friendly place. Also, the food is not worth the money. $ 10.99 for JUST a chicken salad sandwich? No sides unless you order it separate. Weird. The fried green tomatoes are so not worth the price either. They have very little flavor, just like the buttermilk sauce that came with it. The kids meals are really nice tho (hence the one star). Service is ok. The Mac and cheese was nothing to rave about. Won’t be back just because I’m always with at least one of my kids and it’s not worth it.

I have been to this restaurant twice. I was limited in what I could order since I only eat seafood. All of the seafood on the menu was unavailable when we visited the second time so I ended up eating onion rings. They were good, but I was looking for a healthier option that wasn’t salad. My husband, son, and stepdaughters enjoyed their meals though. We probably won’t return because I was unable to eat a real meal. The staff was nice and it was affordable.

I was so so about this place. I ordered the double stack with fries. The fries were over cooked but the guy did offer to go. The lemonade was great but there are no refill on lemonade as this wasn’t disclosed to us because they are about $ 3.00 each. The menu is kind of limited not many entrees to choose from. But the burger I had was great and my friend ordered her blte that she thought was great as well! Would I come back? Maybe…

We tried FM tonight (Saturday) for the first time –even though we live pretty close its taken us this long. To be honest, the name has thrown us off. It’s unappealing. We love all the variety and endless originality served up all over Richmond City and find the further you travel away from the City the more the food loses taste, originality and consistency.
But tonight we were in the neighborhood and finally said let’s go for it instead of fighting the crowds for a table anywhere at our favorite places.
We weren’t disappointed. The food and service were good. The meatloaf, sirloin and red velvet cake were excellent as was our server, Brandon. The atmosphere felt a little too new and polished to really give it the more lived in, dimmer lighting, gritty City vibe we love but it was fresh and nice.
Personally, I think the name has to go; it is holding them back. I think they need a real signature dish or two that’s always available and that just keeps people coming back for more; good proportions/​price/​unique but timeless. They’re good. They could easily make it happen. Someone commented the menu is too limited – I think a limited menu is smart, it’s what’s on it that matters. Lots of Foodies in the city, it’s a hard market to shine but it happens every year. Someone always has the shine in Richmond when it comes to dining. What makes a good experience — atmosphere; cozy, warm, lived in, comfortable even if it’s modern. Great consistent flavorful food even if it’s simple. Portions– don’t ever leave hungry. Service — engage, be present, anticipate and accommodate. Affordable — don’t make it so expensive people have to budget to come back — people love to become «regulars.»
Hope they can stick around.

Excellent restaurant and very good bar (great crafted drinks). I tell people about this place all the time and they are all confused thinking it is a family restaurant. The name (I know it’s a chain they are stuck with it) really is a disservice to the restaurant.
Liked the Apple Pay feature where you see your bill on your phone at all times and can pay whenever you like. Very neat — never see before.
Check this place out — it is a great upscale dining restaurant.

Crowded so there was a long wait for a table. Finally ended up eating at the bar. Menu was really tiny and we had a hard time choosing something we wanted to try. Food was decent, just not special enough to justify the wait and the prices.

We had super high hopes for this restaurant, and really wanted to love it, but it was just ehh. We got some dry little jalapeño egg bread puffs, no flavor, had to ask for butter, didn’t help. The chicken pot pie fritters were either understuffed or overcooked so it oozed out, not sure which.
My date ordered the burger, which was there take on the bigmac, it was the highlight of the meal, very tasty, high quality burger.
I had the chicken and waffles, the chicken had a very off putting flavor, did not enjoy it at all. The waffle was good, but was super sweet and completely wet with no crisp at all. We had planned on dessert but decided against it after the lackluster meal.
I would skip this one, and head over to Graffiato if you want to try good food from a Top Chef contestant owned restaurant, the food is soooo amazing there.

Minus one. This place «acts» like it’s in the deep South. No one moves quickly. Time is not important to any of the staff. Not for seating you. Not for serving you. If that matters to you, maybe you want to reconsider your visit. Today, I just so happened not to be in a rush, so it didn’t matter much, but it was noticeable, and they weren’t even very busy.
Minus two. The name of this place doesn’t fit. While it may have food that you’d be happy to serve your family, it’s not meant for children. There are no burgers, fries and chicken fingers. Well, there are burgers and fries, but not particularly made for a child’s palate. The seating is not set up for large parties. The atmosphere is not particularly welcoming to children. If they’re not doing well financially, it’s because of the name.
The service is good enough. Not overly laudable.
The food… the menu is pretty limited. A few appetizers. A few salads. A few sandwiches. But what we had was good. My friend got a salad (skimpy portion!), added grilled chicken, and a homemade lemonade soda. He liked all of it. We split the macaroni and cheese, which was really very good. Some people don’t like macaroni and cheese with a crumbly topping, but I do! I got the fried chicken salad sandwich, which came with a side salad. The side salad was perfect. Fresh and not overly done. I am a chicken salad connoisseur, and this was the best chicken salad I’ve ever had. Hands down. No contest. It’s really, really good. And they serve the bread buttery grilled. Incredible. It’s a large serving, too. I only ate half of it.
Beware that the menu changes daily, and everything is fresh, so they are prone to run out of things. This can be a pain, but it’s the price you pay for fresh.
Despite all of the negatives, I like this place. 3.5 rounded to 4 stars. I can deal with the slow service, but I do wish they’d change the name. Even to Fresh Meal.

I expected more.
First off, like most of the other reviews mentioned this is not a place to take the family out to dinner. I was expecting family style dinning, with reasonable prices what I got was a trendy, upscale environment.
That was my favorite part though, the environment, it was upscale, trendy, modern and sleek. It made you feel like you are dinning somewhere other than Willow Lawn, which is a small shopping center.
I ordered the end of the world shandy which was delicious! I love a good cocktail, but I also love beer and this was the perfect mixture of allagash beer, with lemon and homemade strawberry jam! It was sweet, tart, refreshing and so yummy!
Side Note: The menu that they have online is not the menu that they have in the restaurant! The menu in the restaurant is very small, I was hoping for more options.
For dinner, I wanted to try several things on the menu but because of price I was limited to just a few items. I had the winter salad with arugula, butternut squash, big walnuts, and a tangy dressing. I also had a side of the macaroni and cheese with creamy white pimento cheese, garlic, panko and parmesan crumb. I know 2 VERY different dishes but I wanted to try both. Both were good, but neither made me want to rave about this place.
I sat with two people who ordered the trout and they both said that was very good!
I was disappointed because I was expecting more from this restaurant, the service was great, environment was cool, and that staff was so friendly and nice. I will be back for that shandy, but I am not rushing back. Don’t forget by checking in with Unilocal you get 10% off your Entire Check!

The worst named, best little restaurant in the Willow Lawn area. Really creative cocktails, interesting menu, great service, relaxing atmosphere. And hardly a kid in sight. Winning!

What’s better than brunch? Comfort food & brunch.
Family Meal’s menu features upscale, yet still homestyle comfort food that’s all 100% made in-​house with local ingredients. They are known for their fried chicken, and for good reason, it’s delicious! You get HUGE portions here, so I would suggest sharing.
The brunch at Family Meal is life-​changing because they offer their full menu during brunch, so you can get traditional brunch items and mix it with southern favorites like mac-​n-​cheese and fried chicken.
They also have an amazing bar with a great selection and unique drinks like adult milkshakes.
Overall, a great upscale place with southern roots. Take a friend for brunch sometime to see for yourself!

Meh.
We went on Saturday for a late lunch. The ambiance is fantastic. Sadly, nothing else was.
Service was very slow. We were surprised. Our table ordered waffles, pancakes and salads. We were perplexed by how long it took.
I ordered a steak Caesar. The steak was fatty and the kale was drenched in dressing. So much that it was just limp. No Parmesan which I guess is a style choice but honestly, the salad was just extremely underwhelming.
The waffles and pancakes were fine but the feedback on the waffles is that they were just too sweet.
Hope they improve.

Went for lunch on Friday (which was my second time trying the restaurant). The first time was terrible — slow service, cold food and greasy chicken salad with a lot of fat and even a piece of bone in it — but I thought I’d give it another try. This time the service was much better but the food wasn’t. I had the chicken pot pie fritters (tasty, but not remotely hot) and the French onion soup. I’ve never before in my life had greasy French onion soup but it was definitely that way here — disgusting! I’m pretty tolerant and not terribly picky, so I ate the fritters (like I said, good taste just cold) but I couldn’t choke down the soup. For a trendy spot that is actually somewhat pricey for a quick lunch I expected better. I won’t be back.

Best meal out in such a long time! Would eat here once a week if I could! The lemonade was good too. Far from Country Time. We had the Chicken and Waffles and the Meatloaf Sandwich. I recommend both of these options. Brunch is all day everyday. Dr. Pepper cake was on point!

They sat us right next to the kitchen for our special date-​night dinner (and we had a reservation) and called it the «chef’s table» haha! Like it was a privilege to sit next to the kitchen and listen to the kitchen manager yelling at the cooks the whole time. The portions were very small for the amount they charge.

Family Meal is a great spot for sharing plates. I stopped in for lunch with a friend and we enjoy a few different plates at the bar. The french onion soup was by far one of the best I’ve had. The soup contained bits of brisket which elevated the soup and added rich flavor. The crispy brussels sprouts, roasted cauliflower, and fried green tomatoes were all delicious and perfect for sharing. My only complaint was that the service was a little lacking. We sat at the bar during lunch and had to wait a while before our order was taken.

I was expecting so much from Family Meal and left so saddened. Family Meal didn’t even meet my expectation for a «regular» American restaurant, let alone one that’s owned by a Top Chef. I got their pepperoni burger with fries and was not impressed… lackluster execution and not much flavor to boot. My boyfriend got the fried pork cutlets which he did not really enjoy either. They were overcooked, not crispy, and lacked flavor. The wine sauce helped and the truffled popcorn grits added an interesting flavor and texture contrast to the cutlets, but not enough to really make up for the dish.
I really expected the cuisine at Family Meal to be more elevated, especially for their price points, but so many other restaurants in Richmond are excelling above and beyond what is offered here. Hopefully they start stepping up their game.

This is an upscale comfort food restaurant in Willow Lawn — does the name Bryan Voltaggio ring a bell? Let me just rattle off a list of things that are fun to try: homemade sodas, fried chicken (and the pickles that come with it), and deviled eggs. A touch on the pricey side, but definitely a nice place to dine. You can bring the kids (I have gone with and without mine. (They enjoyed brunch items and the portions are hearty), but it’s not a «diner» concept. Staff is attentive and friendly.

I very rarely give only one star but in this case I struggle to give any more then that. We arrived at 5:30 and were seated. Both the hostess and our server informed us of the 30 min. left for the happy hour special. At 5:40 we ordered our drinks and every appetizer they had. I joked with the waitress that she should be sure to come back at 5 min til so we could get another drink order in. 25 min later at 6:05 our drinks arrived.
Our apps soon followed. The deviled eggs and the kale were good but everything else was so bad that most of it was left and uneaten.
Our very nice waitress came over to inform us that two of the drinks ordered in our party for «happy hour» were actually not happy hour specials and was sorry she didn’t tell us. Ok no biggie. What was quite amazing was that she could not tell us what was and wasn’t gluten free. We had to ask, then she had to run to the kitchen and ask the cook. Just something in this day and age you don’t see too often.
The restaurant was soooo hot and humid that by the time our entrees came everyone was complaining how uncomfortable we were. We asked them to turn up the AC twice but it didn’t help. Our entrees came and no one ate more then half, not because we were too full because it was just ehhhh.
Although we wanted dessert it was so hot and humid we decided to leave and went to another restaurant to finish our evening.
A nice place with nice staff but need to really work on their service and the quality of the food.

Had dinner there in a Friday night.
Don’t let the name fool you. It is an upscale restaurant.
The wait staff was very prompt and attentive. An improvement over our first time we were there. that was not as prompt. The food came out too quickly. Really too quickly since our appetizer arrived before the drinks and there was only a few minutes wait until the main dish arrived.
We had the deviled eggs as a starter that were good and a nice touch with the bacon. The goat cheese ravioli was excellent; every part so flavorful and complement each other nicely. The shrimp and grits were good.
The beer selection was good but I was in the mood for a Natty Bo.
The menu may be a little pricy for the portions but everything has been well done and can’t wait to try everything on the menu.
I would suggest in the future that they not rush the check so much. Although we not linger it did seem like they pushed it on us fairly quickly without them or us asking.

A few disclaimers
I went on a Wednesday when there was a lot of rain so not too much traffic. I also came with 10 other members of my family.
Overall a great experience. Portions I would say are on the medium side, but for the value/​quality of food, I thought things were priced appropriately.
Fresh squeezed lemonade and strawberry lemonade — you could taste that it was the real deal.
Fried Chicken — more on the crispy than crunchy side, but juice all around. $ 15 for ½ a chicken
Brussel Sprout Salad — just what it seems like nothing amazing. I wish it had more flavor — think East Side King Austin Brussel sprouts.
Hanger Steak — cooked well with the sous vide (basically pre-​cooked to tenderness). I wish there was more hollandaise sauce. Fries were just standard
Pork Loin — very tender, cooked the sous vide method as well — great pairings with the grilled fennel and fig compote
Ravioli — perfect bite. My wife actually raved about the green beans tasting so fresh.
Kid’s plates — grilled chicken tenders — huge portion. Applesauce is the real apple sauce — not some watered down Mott’s stuff. Thick a full of a real apple taste. I thought the salad had a lot dressing on it. Light sauce with the spaghetti
Cornbread — pricey at 2 pieces for $ 2.99. My wife loved it and ate every crumb. She really liked the thick strawberry jam — once again — not a bit of lightness that you would get from Smuckers. It’s a nice thick red through and through.
Dessert — the Strawberry Blonde was Strawberry everything — sherbet on top, slices of strawberries and a jam glaze.
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This is a good family place to take for a slightly more upscale approach to American food.

Birthday dinner out! I was not familiar with this restaurant but several in our part had been previously. The staff was very friendly. We had reservations and were seated as soon as we arrived. We tried the chicken, grits, Mac and cheese. Everything we tasted was delish. The food arrived surprisingly fast since our server emphasized everything was made from scratch and cooked to order. The seasoned fries were plentiful and had a seasoning like old bay or seasoned salt. They were good too. We will definitely return.

I met some friends her for brunch recently. The food was good, but nothing super spectacular. I was very happy that they were amendable to adjusting some menu items for me and one of my friends. The blueberry cornbread was a pleasant surprise. Yumm-​o. I had the fried green tomatoes and waffles. I was surprised by the 3 small waffles… while they were very cute, I didn’t think it was that much waffle. It was still delicious and I ate all of them. Overall, I would go back, but I wouldn’t say it is my «go to» brunch spot… still looking for that.

This place is absolutely incredible! we’ve been here twice now and everything we’ve had so far has been very very good. My fiancé and I both hate brussels sprouts! They are literally one of maybe five things that we just don’t eat. Both times we went we had the brussels sprouts Cesar which was incredible and so so delicious! Our first trip I had the fried chicken and he had the steak. Both were very well cooked and enough for leftovers. The second time he got the barramundi and I got the goat cheese ravioli, which were also stellar. The real shining star of this place is their desserts. We have tried the banana pudding, blueberry cobbler, coconut cream pie, oatmeal cream pie, and the milkshake. Not one of them disappointed!
Additionally, it should be said that the service here is as good as the food. We never had to track down our server or were left without drinks. The wait staff was friendly and joked with us a few times on both occasions. You could tell they work as a team and enjoyed helping each other.
We have been searching for a new regular spot since Arcadia closed and we think we found it in family meal

I had a itchin to try this place for brunch, but we got here a bit late so we ordered from the limited version of the brunch menu.
I had the typical brunch plate and we ordered the Korean burger. I was so excited that Korean cuisine had somehow made its way into the menu here.
The brunch was fine, nothing special, the presentation was excellent and the outdoor patio definitely was a huge asset to the restaurant. It was clean, it was quiet, and the waiter, the waiter made it worth it. He was quiet, but nice, and was prompt in fulfilling our food orders.
The Korean burger was not really Korean at all, but what else could I expect from a menu that held only one Korean fusion item? I can’t blame them for trying, but if it were me, I would just take it off the menu. It sounds exotic, but after trying it once, I wouldn’t order it again. If I did, I’d only order it because it is $ 5.
The freshly made strawberry lemonade was EXCELLENT. Definitely should try that.
It was nice, the place was clean, the building very pretty, but nothing really special about the food and the bill is too high for me to come back too often for average food. I’ll be back one day, but not in the next couple of weeks.

No name dropping of the owner here, i am sure if you are reading reviews you already know the story. That being said, my brother is a 25+ year career chef and has cooked for the likes of Van Halen, Metallica, worked with some well know chefs, and has been a restaurateur, sou chef, cook, dishwasher since he was fifteen. Also we come from a long line of family cooks. We all love to cook, and we all love to eat.
«Family Meal» has a nice ring to it in name, it was only after we were seated and surveyed the menu when we truly «got it.» We arrived at about 5:30pm on a Friday, we were pleasantly greeted and asked if we had a reservation, which we did not. «Not a problem». We were seated without wait and very soon after were provided with menus and given drink recommendations by Daphne. Next our waitress stopped by to introduce herself, and we had a young man frequently offering refills on our water. We liked the attentiveness of the staff, and we liked the adult sized glasses. We do not understand the trend of child sized glassware with no ice that we are seeing all over the place these days. Trust me, we want your mixologist to stir up something new for us, but we also are grownups and dislike tepid water.
Speaking of mixology, we ordered from the bar menu. A variety of drinks to test and share. The drinks were beautiful and delicious. We like these types of adult beverages a lot. There is a bar at sea called Alchemy, this comes close.
We were slightly confused about the menu, but that is when «Family Meal» clicked. There are appetizers, soups, and salads. Then, there is supper. When we were kids, Mom called us in from the great outdoors, for supper. The family meal, a daily dose of Mom’s home cooked goodness. Oh how I miss the 70s. There is even BFD, breakfast for dinner, because some days are just like that.
We ordered an appetizer, salads, something from the «share» section, and a burger. The Deviled Eggs are… right up there with Mom’s, if not better. The salads, as a meal, were small enough to enjoy the appetizer and shared food, hearty and well crafted enough to not feel like you paid $ 8.99 for a side salad. The item off the «share» menu was confusing, we shared the very small portion of the pimento macaroni and cheese. That was an appetizer. Or a typo, it should have been under «So good you won’t want to share» menu. Lastly we had the Creamy brie and arugula burger. Not the best burger in Richmond, but nicely done. While pressured to order dessert, we were too full to indulge this time, Most places do not even ask if you want dessert, there is an eagerness to get you out to fill the table. Not here.
We really like Family Meal, the restaurant itself is open and airy, crisp and clean, spacious and comfortable. We felt doted upon by the staff, which is a welcome change from some newer establishments that want to fill the tables but are lacking in service. Everyone we encountered was friendly and engaging. Family Meal provided us with a refreshing supper experience, we look forward to returning again very soon.
Ammended to say that we returned to Family Meal on Friday May 22 and once again we were wowed by great food and service. The menu had some changes, for example the «share» has been changed to «sides» which is more appropriate. The mac & cheese was not made with pimento cheese this time. I ordered a salad, app and sides based off of the previous experience, making my own meal, we also ordered an appetizer that was on the special menu (available until 6pm). The pimento cheese hush puppies were incredible, the salad was huge compared to the last time, it was so much food a lot came home with us. We ordered several adult beverages, they have drink specials before 6pm, that is a great bargain. My only complaint is way too much ice in the cocktails, but still extremely pleased with second visit.