Kai

First time partying in Richmond and as a New Yorker Kai is the place to go! The crowd was mixed not ghetto at all everyone was there to have fun no drama at all I felt unbelievably comfortable. The drinks are reasonably priced lastly have to commend DJ Mikealis he kept the party jumping! Would definitely recommend this club!!!

The DJ was awesome! I was in town visiting from Cali for my Bachelorette party. Great scene, diverse crowd, the dj knows how to keep the crowd going!

It’s extremely hard to find a good nightclub, I happened to go when the after-​party of a bridal party arrived and despite the crowded area, the vibes were great. I love electric music and the DJ knew how to keep the energy flowing. The bar is very busy and the drinks are cheap. If you’re looking for a varied club, this is it. The people are young, mid-​to late 20s and a bit of the older crowd around. All in all, this is the place to go. Especially on a Saturday night.

CHECK YOUR CARD BALANCE
I’ve been here twice in two weeks with friends. My friends and I both got charged in addition to what we already paid. When you call they will prompt you on the additional charges that may show when pending BUT check to see what actually cleared. They slap on an addition $ 3/​$ 4 tip and that times 50+ people is $ 200+. I’m not sure if it is the company or a worker (s) but it’s continuous so BRING CASH or double check your card.

I like the lights and the bouncers were friendly. This place is kind of too small and narrow for me though.

I dont like clubs at all lol Im a homebody however my fiancée is new to the richmond area and wanted to check out the nightlife here so we went to Kai… Despite my aversion to clubs I actually found myself having a good time ! the club had a nice ambiance and the DJ was pretty decent… the space wasnt packed & it wasnt empty either it had a nice amount of people and i liked that there were different races & age groups there having a good time !

Kai was a decent spot for looking to unwind with cheap drinks and an unpretentious crowd.
Main points:
Park in a lot.
They close at 2.
Hip hop and electronic dance music.
Diverse crowd.
Small and narrow but still able to get your dance on.
Cool bouncers.
No cover.
I would recommend Kai to Friends looking for a upbeat environment where they can get cheap drinks.

Visited club recently, Pretty empty when we had arrived but still took forever for a bartender to acknowledge us. Really amazing the lack of service from the bartenders. Drink prices were also on the more expensive side for a richmond establishment. The DJ was playing music that was not popular dance music but more of a hader hip hop variety. Not very crowded, i think due to the music selection. If you are looking to dance would try other richmond clubs.

Kai is a perfect place for pre-​gaming or if you’re walking around and are looking to dance your ass off. I go here a lot after one of the bars on the strip gets boring and im looking for a new venue. The bouncers are really nice, and the bartenders are really nice too.
The only reason i gave it 3 stars was because its in a really awkward spot and theres never really any parking around. The VIP area is a very tiny box like area with a rope and one step — so not worth your money. And the club is very narrow, so when its packed, moving around can be cumbersome, so unless you like being elbow to elbow with someone then… yeah. There’s also no place to put your belongings so dont go here if you have a big coat on or a purse you want to dance with.

If you’re not one to swim in a sea of people just to get to the bar, scream during conversations, force to stand around «reserved» tables, wished you had a leash on your friend… check this place out!
A narrow bar and lounge that plays mostly hiphop & RnB, its great for conversing, lounging and a bit of dancing. Great place for a date or pregame!
Very chill atmosphere compared to the Southern Railway Taphouse which can get overcrowded and noisy.

The drinks were awesome! I got so drunk. The music made me dance, until I couldn’t dance nomore. The crowd was filled with all different kinds of people. The bartender really made some good drink. I love how the DJ played a mixture of different music. He really killed it. I love this place. The smoke machine added to the atmosphere. Im going back for sure. This is the damn spot. Its like a bar/​mini club ! lol U gotta try this place. Hope to see you there… It’s free to get in, but we payed $ 9 for parking. Thats’s not bad at all!

The fun atmosphere in Kai is unique all of its own for historic downtown club goers. Step into the blue spotlight and enjoy dancing and drinks at this fun little hotspot. Dance floor is decent sized and there is usually space to find a spot to call your own for the night. The DJ booth houses the videos of the music they play — and yes, you can rock til the wee hours with some of your 90’s favorite tunes.
The only downside– and the reason for the 4– not 5 stars is the smoke machine. It was blasting me and my friends directly in the face… we had to move further back. Otherwise, it was a great time. I love the bubble-​themed look behind the bar and the bartenders were super awesome all night. Drinks were good and my feet were killing me from all the dancing my pals and I did that night — a pain i do not mind enduring for great music and great time with my friends.
Try this place on for size. You might find it is exactly what you need… and currently they do not charge cover… so just pay for parking right now!

I gave this place a star for ambiance alone. Its a cool looking place with exposed brick and some artistic décor. The good stops there. We went in here on a Thursday night and decided to skip Tobacco Co. and give this place a shot. Big mistake. It was empty and we thought well at least we have the place to ourselves… ughh. That only meant we get an untrained bartender/​waitress who didn’t know the difference between fried oysters and oysters rockefeller, what type of fish was on the menu or any other question. The happy hour menu was only about 10 items. The food came from Sam Miller and I was really shocked at how bad it was. Tasteless all around. How can you get fish and chips wrong? My oysters rockerfellar were gross, watery, super gritty with the cheese floating. Then the waitress forgot to place my order. It was the first order. All around bad… just keep walking.

I went to Kai to catch up with my sister. The bouncers at Kai were cool and down to earth. The bartenders were nice and attentive. The drinks were tasty. The Red Bull bombs were on special that night. The DJ (lady) played a nice mixture of music. I really enjoyed the music at Kai. There’s a nice size dance floor, if dancing is your thing. Kai has a waterbar but it wasn’t working. Kai was pretty laid back. I ordered the appetizer tacos. The tacos did not have flavor. The appetizer was priced reasonable. Parking can be a hassle depending on time. Kai is good spot to have some drinks and dance. I would return to Kai.

High Energy Club in the Historic Shockoe District

Loved the bartenders, dug the dj, hated the smoke. I get that using a smoke machine is supposed to add to the club-​y atmosphere, but I have just never been a fan. The smoke was on some kind of rotation, which I never did figure out (if I had, then I would have strategically avoided the dance floor by the dj station every time a fresh burst of smoke was unleashed).
Other than the smoke, Kai’s a solid spot for dancing and drinks. It won my vote from the get-​go when my friends and I strolled on by on our way to dinner. As the tail end of our group passed Kai’s entrance, one of the employees ran out and told us that if we came back after dinner we would all get a free shot. Sold. You don’t have to say «free shot» to me twice*. It probably helped that one of my friends was decked out in bachelorette gear (it wasn’t too obnoxious, I promise, just a sash and mini veil).
Kai’s connected to Sam Miller’s, so if you want a draft beer (like my new fave, Hardywood Singel) the bartenders grab pours from next door. It’s an interesting set-​up, really, but it seems to be working well for them.
I must admit that dive bars are usually more my scene than nightclubs, but I did enjoy my experience at Kai and certainly wouldn’t be opposed to visiting again on another girl’s night out.
*sidenote: We were actually given shooters, not shots, but tequila is the only true shot I’ll take at this point in life so I was more than fine with it. Plus, free always = :)

It has the money put into it to be an awesome place to have fun with friends and dance. Lighting pretty amazing and the lit up bar is very cool. It is pretty loud so it’s hard to talk to friends or the bartender. Music and lights are great for dancing but no one seemed to be doing so. This bar has been pretty empty most times we came. Drink prices weren’t too bad and we were given 3 free shooters for no reason (which was very nice but they did not have a lot of liquor in them). I feel like this will be a bar that won’t get enough business to stay open but would awesome if they got more people to come.

This is a cool place the look is new to the area. As for the jimmy b guy who talked about the over charges well maybe he needed to look at the card rules banks have authorization fees and theses things may occur from your bank. I feel if you have a problem with your charges discuss it with the merchant but do you really have to post it. I have had great service from the whole staff. Got a problem let them know. Best place I have ever been had great time new years

The décor is wonderful. Very aesthetically pleasing and has a top dollar New York City feel. The place is small and has limited bathroom space. Also — it does not open until 9 p.m. and there seems to be no real dress code/​cover so there was a very mixed crowed.

Located right in Shockoe Bottom, you can’t miss the blue glow emitting from the door. The music they play is pretty fun, though I’ve yet to really see people let loose and take over the dance floor in the few times I’ve been here. The best bartender is definitely the busty blonde with glasses. We call her Bernadette (though I’m certain that’s not her name at all). She makes a MEAN drink.