Bateau in Richmond

Came here for a glass of wine, a snack and to check out the live jazz. I don't know much about jazz myself but my partner does and says the band was a very talented. As always, enjoyed my glass of the Indaba Merlot and split a really yummy apple tart. We love it hear and will definitely be back :)

Wonderful atmosphere, food is great. Definitely good for a date night

It saddens me to only click two stars for this restaurant but customer service is so important that, for me, it can make a great place mediocre. My first visit to Bateau was for a private holiday dinner with the agency I work with. I fell in love with Bateau - the special location right off of the canal between downtown and Shockhoe Bottom, the intimate setting that feels like someone's home, the live jazz music, the ambiance, the wine, and the food, oh the food. To top it off, I learned that evening that Bateau is a black-owned business - how amazing! That night, this restaurant was 5 stars, no question. Then the pandemic hit and I hoped it would survive. Thank goodness it did. Fast forward to my second and most recent visit in May of 2021. It was a sexy night out with my girlfriends who were so graciously celebrating my birthday with me before joining our husbands after dinner. We had reservations at 7:45pm but did not eat dinner until after 9:30pm. This is how that unfolded... When I entered, I saw that the dining room was filled to capacity. Keep in mind, Bateau is quaint - as small as someone's living room - so you can see every table from the door. I stood at the front for several minutes and was not greeted. I felt awkward, as if I wasn't supposed to be there. Several minutes later, my friends joined me and then we were greeted and asked to sit at the bar-type area by the door while we a waited. A half hour passed. Finally, because we asked, someone came to ta...