Lillie Pearl

"Y" (from Ethiopia) was our server. He did an excellent job. He recommended that we start out with the cheddar biscuits. They come w/some butter & jam. I was skeptical of the jam on a cheddar biscuit but I tried it. The biscuits went from really good to amazingly good. My husband got the Dad's breakfast sandwich w/home fries & I got the fried chicken and French toast. It was all delish & we ate every bite. The atmosphere was nice & the tables weren't crammed together. It's the Christmas season & it's decorated very tastefully. (Pun intended!) We'll be back.

- G Zilla -

I tried this place while visiting Richmond. It wasn't the restaurant that I originally had planned to go to, but I am glad it it were I ended up. The facility was nice and inviting and the staff was extremely welcoming. The brunch menu was very limited but very interesting and unique combinations. We had the fried chicken with french toast and the peach cobbler french toast. The portions seemed small at first glance, but were just right. The drinks were good also. I would definitely return here anytime that I return to the Richmond area.

- Kevin Guy -

“Lillie Pearl: Come for Brunch, Stay Because You Can No Longer Physically Move.” Lillie Pearl in downtown Richmond is the kind of place that makes you rethink every life choice that didn’t involve eating here sooner. I walked in expecting a cute brunch—maybe a biscuit, maybe a polite amount of butter. What I got instead was a full-blown emotional event. A journey. A spiritual awakening powered almost entirely by carbs and queso. Let’s start with the cheddar biscuits. Four of them. FOUR. They don’t even pretend you’ll share. They arrive fluffy, golden, slightly dangerous, and accompanied by honey butter that should honestly be regulated by the FDA. If these biscuits had existed in ancient times, wars would’ve been fought over them. Then came the Short Rib Breakfast Burrito, which is basically a sleeping bag filled with happiness, cheese, and short rib, then smothered in green chile queso so good I briefly considered proposing to it. This thing isn’t a burrito—it’s a lifestyle choice. The wedge salad? Oh, it’s not just a wedge. It’s a structural engineering marvel. It arrives looking like an iceberg dressed for a night out, draped in buttermilk ranch, covered in bacon confetti, and wearing cherry tomatoes like accessories. And don’t sleep on the Peach Cobbler French Toast. Actually, do sleep afterward, because you’ll have no choice. It’s bread pudding French toast drowning gloriously in peach compote and caramel maple syrup. It tastes like if a warm hug and a Southern grandma joined forces to ruin your diet forever. Cocktails? Elite. The Pink with a Passion could power a small city. The Mochaccino might actually wake the dead. And if you order the No Excuses, I promise—you won’t have any. Service was fantastic, ambiance was classy-but-fun, and my only regret is not arriving with a forklift to help me leave. 10/10 recommend Lillie Pearl if you love great food, strong cocktails, and pretending calories don’t count in Richmond city limits.

- Micah Gaudio -

We ordered the buratta and beat salad, chicken wings, crispy skin salmon, and the short ribs. Everything was absolutely delicious! This was a super relaxed setting, and our server, Naji, was excellent. Would highly recommend for date or dinner with the family.

- Ryan O'Hara -

The food was tasty although somewhat out of season completely. The crispy pork belly had nothing crispy about it and the creamed corn was chalky. The glaze was still delicious. Chicken was very good although only a chicken breast and not a half chicken. The short rib could have cooked much longer and collards lacked any flavor besides bitter. Service was very good. It was weird to see the table next to us get burgers but we saw them no where on our menu. We would go back if in The area.

- Darren Carbone -

Delicious food! I had lunch here with my 2 boys ages 8 and 11 when we needed a break from the noise and crowds at the Collect-a-con at the convention center just a couple blocks away. It was 1;00 in the afternoon on a Saturday and when we first walked in and asked for a table for 3 they immediately asked if we had a reservation which made me worried that this was a more upscale and expensive restaurant than we were expecting, I don't think ive ever made a reservation for lunch but we were quickly seated and our server immediately offered to bring us water while we looked over the menu. They have a large alcoholic drink menu, but the lunch menu didn't list any drinks at all, so with 2 young boys who are soda connoisseurs, we had to ask if they had Coke or Pepsi products. The server told us they had Pepsi products and also offered juices or a Shirley Temple which my boys immediately scrunched their faces at. I ordered a club sandwich and my boys got the hamburger and chicken tender kids meals ($10 each) which weren't listed on the menu. They also have a mac and cheese kids meal option. We waited over 25 minutes for our food to arrive. It wasn't overly crowded, but they only had 4 staff working and it seemed to be the lunch hour rush. The club sandwich was amazing and had what might be the best toast ive ever had! Perfectly buttered and just the right amount of crisp! There was a generous amount of meat and delicious fresh tomatoes that really tasted like they came straight from someone's garden! Im not joking when i say i had a hard time taking bites of this sandwich because i literally could not open my mouth wide enough to take a bite! My boys loved their kids meals. My older son inhaled his hamburger and wished he would have ordered an adult sized burger because it was smaller than his appetite and the guy sitting next to us who ordered a burger got a huge one. My son considered ordering another burger and said "these burgers are better than Freddy's!" Which is really saying something coming from him! The chicken tenders were probably the best I've ever tasted. They seemed like they were homemade, from fresh chicken and hand battered in a very light breading, NOT the typical mass-produced and cooked from frozen with more breading than chicken that is so common these days. The BBQ sauce served with the chicken was incredible! The perfect blend of smoky-sweet-heat! Each of our meals were served with more fries than we could eat, but i wished i would have asked for a different side to try, the collard greens and pimento mac and cheese sounded intriguing. My boys were really tempted to order the peach cobbler bread pudding, but we were too full. Overall, the food was amazing, the service was attentive but a little slow. We will definitely return if we're in the area!

- Valerie Kinkead -

Second time being here, first time for dinner. Their food is good. Want to tried seas bass but they are already out before 7pm. Beef medallion is good, beef rib is great and shrimp and lobster bisque sauce are all great. Cannot go wrong without peach cobbler dessert. Will be back next time.

- Henry Leung -

We absolutely loved our visit to Lillie Pearl, with a beautiful interior and delicious food served hot and with a smile. The staff was courteous and on the ball, taking care of our party of 14. We fully enjoyed our visit and it was perfect for our annual Christmas celebration dinner. You must try the cauliflower appetizer which is broiled crispy but not overcooked, and served with a perfect amount of beer sauce and pepitas. Try some of the cutely dubbed drinks, such as the Steel Magnolia which is divine but strong with its mixture of grapefruit juice and fresh rosemary. For dinner, I enjoyed the sea bass while my husband devoured the airline chicken. Many of our friends ordered and raved about the shrimp and grits. You should stay for dessert (if you have room, b/c the portions are huge). The slices of carrot cake are also immense and the peach bread pudding is made to perfection.

- J. Tucker -