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Tue-Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Tue-Fri. 5:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
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Came down to Richmond for a weekend of half-marathoning and good eats. Millie's, courtesy of some extensive Yelp searching, was our first stop for lunch. Located on a random street a bit out of the way of downtown Richmond, Millie's was worth the detour and may be a must-eat on any trip down I-95.
The restaurant itself is small, with dark wood paneling in the booths that suggests that it's been around for a while. The cooks yelled out a hello when entering, and the waiters/waitresses/servers had the casual rock vibe but yet were really prompt and attentive. The diet coke glass was almost never empty, and our food came out fast and hot.
I had a Cajun scramble, which was basically a messy omelet with andouille sausage, peppers, onions, and crawfish. Crawfish! In a random place in Richmond, I would have never thought of it. Served with a side of hash browns, this dish really brought the flavor. Hard. Not only was it deliciously making me sweat with some heat, but for a really small quick diner-like place, they had some really great 5-star touches like garnishes and saucing on the side.
I'm not usually a dessert kind of guy, but the lunch made me interested, and I ended up the meal with perhaps the best pineapple upside down cake I've ever had. They do all of their desserts in-house, and this one was topped with fresh cream, strawberries instead of the cheap cherries, and glazed with light chocolate and raspberry sauce, finished off with some powdered sugar. Literally one of the best meals I've ever had, and the total came to around $20.
The waitress said that dinner was a more formal and expensive affair, but if it's made with as much attention as was paid to lunch, I don't see how anyone could go wrong. Go there now.
If I was going to open up a joint it would be Millie's ... although I'm clearly not as cool as the owner.
It's a bar!
It's a place to listen to cool music!
It has the best Creamed Chipped Beef I've ever imagined!
It's in Richmond?!?!?
AWESOME. And I hear the dinners are better?
Millies I LOVE YOU!
I came here 6 months ago after doing some research on good eats in Richmond. Being familiar with Richmond, I was shocked I never heard of this place during my 4-5 years living in the city. If only I knew about this place earlier! Anyways this place is a true gem. Definitely can compete with the heavy weights of DC and NYC!
Appetizer - I ordered Scallops with Risotto - It was amazing. reminded me of Corduroy's Scallops...
Entree - Pan seared rockfish on a seared rice cake - also very good, cooked perfectly!
Dessert - We ordered EVERYTHING! I think this was the highly of my experience at Millies. I am not a desert person, but man, oh man, it was awesome. every bite i took I was just asking for more! My favorite was the house made Kitkat bar!
Excellent little restutant. We had a chicken. The chocolate dessert was amazing !!!!
We went here for the first time today for brunch - had a great Omelet with white cheddar, tomato and mushroom and my hubby had the Veggie Mess which he liked but was a little too spicy for him (due to curry in it). The coffee was great also and they brought out free toast, which was on a nutty bread and very good. For both of us including a tip it was about 30 bucks. We will definitely go back again! Super friendly attentive waitress also.
Not to sound like a pretentious jerk (well just a bit), but Millie's is one of the only restaurants in Richmond to be of "big city" quality. Instead of nestled between the Richmond 'downtown' and a seriously scary looking ghetto, Millie's would better be at home in the Mission district of San Francisco or New York's East Village.
Millie's is fantastic (down with superlatives!) though commensurately pricey while the atmosphere is totally unpretentious. The food, straying far from any resemblance of diner fare, is inspired, seasonal and constantly evolving. Less importantly the menu isn't too 'exotic', meaning you can please a picky eater (in my case, a picky date) who reject 'weird' food. As a result, you can please the most discerning gourmet while also accommodating less inspired eaters.
Again the relatively high prices don't correlate to a stuffy atmosphere. Waiters garbed in jeans and T-shirts sling food in the dark and moody atmosphere, tastefully decorated like an old-school diner complete with table-side jukeboxes.
While i've physically moved on from Richmond, Millie's Diner has always held a place in my heart and in my stomach.
All I can say is "wow." My parents found this place on Yelp about a year ago, and let me tell you, everybody's got it right - Millie's is really amazing. It's become our traditional stop on the drives from Raleigh to Swarthmore and back, and the staff now recognizes and greets us when we come in. I've only been once for various complicated reasons, but my family assures me that it's as good every time. I ordered asparagus and poached eggs with Hollandaise sauce and spiced chopped potatoes (the dish originally came with steak that I got rid of because I'm a vegetarian) and somehow that very simple meal managed to be just out of this world. I think it was the Hollondaise sauce - so few people make it well.
But the truly amazing thing about this place is the desserts. My god, even the pineapple upside down cake managed to be good, and I generally hate fruit cakes. The dessert portions are also enormous, so save room, because it is definitely worth it. I am so impressed with Millie's, and how every single thing on the menu managed to be so top notch. A definite new favorite for our family!
One of the best entrees I have had in years (literally) . I found the place thanks to Yelp and the Pork Chop did not disappoint. The costs are high for the area but the reasonable wine prices offset the "worthy" food costs.
A couple of friends and I went for Sunday brunch and let me just say, amazing brunch menu. There really is no place like it in Richmond. I had the biscuits and sausage gravy it was just the right amount of spice and still filling.
Definitely planning on return trips
Love that place! Last week I was in Richmond with my dad and we went at Millie's! great food duuuuudeeeesssss!!! great service tough.....!
GPSed our way to Millie's after seeing the prices at Julep's, so as navigator and main Yelper, I shared HG's dismay over the similarly high dinner offerings. The bad beginning was erased by the BEST SCALLOPS I've had in my life, moist lemony halibut, and generous portion of seared yellowfin. The vegetables tasted as if they were grown in a backyard kitchen garden. Too full for dessert, but the pork chop the chef was preparing looked crazy good. Much nicer evening ambiance than photo suggests.
Unfortunately, Don't Care's dorm accoutrements had us eating on the cheap the rest of the trip. A++ to the designer who used almost every trick in the book to take one's mind off the w.c. being a spooky basement closet - I wasn't seized with fright until halfway through my business.
Very good food, for a good price, in a casual atmosphere. I tried a few course such as soup, salad, sandwich,etc... If you like "vintage, hole in the wall" places with good chow, this is your place
The food is indeed very good. The conceited and smarmy service, so typical of any restaurant that caters to Yuppies, is not.
I don't have enough adjectives to describe it. All I can say is I am very happy right now! Just got home from dinner here and, as always, Millie's exceeds my idea of how good a restaurant can be. If you want to appreciate the food experience, ask to sit just inside the door so you can watch the chef in action. I had the roast pork tenderloin and my friend had the NY steak medallions. Both were eyes-rolled-back-in-the-head delicious with well-accompanied sides. The atmosphere is so relaxing too... I feel like I'm at a friend's house, sitting in their kitchen while they throw together a gourmet meal -- I wish my friends could cook so well! To sum it up: GO TO MILLIE'S!
This is my favorite restaurant in the known world. I've been coming here with my family since I was 16. I'm 25, and though I live in Los Angeles now, I make a point of eating here at least once every time I visit Virginia. I've still never had a bad or even mediocre meal at Millie's.
The menu changes frequently, but for brunch, you can't beat the Devil's Mess and its variations. At dinner, you should usually try to work in the soup or at least one of the appetizers (sometimes my dad and I will order 2 appetizers a piece instead of any entrees). The deserts are consistently decadent and delicious. And it may tarnish my hard drinkin', SATC hatin' feminist street cred, but I have to say: the bartender makes the best Cosmopolitan you'll find anywhere.
This was a great restaurant that we found on yelp. If you like that great hole in the wall diner, with amazing food and character, then Millies is the place for you. It looks rather unassuming from the outside but when you walk in hold on to your hats and get ready for sensory overload. You are greeted by a flutter of energy followed by an amazing smell of food.
If you are there for breakfast/brunch, be sure to order some homefries/potatoes, best I have ever had. We will be going back, may even make a special trip for it. It is a good buy, just add on a few more pennies if you are going to have a mimosa.
I'm no foodie snootie, but I do appreciate good food wherever I can find it. This place is deceiving overall. It claims to be a diner, but it's too fancy to fit into that greasy spoon category. It has a very southern sounding name, but the cooks are actually British. The wine selection is extensive and they probably carry more bottles than your average wine bar. I had the Devil's Mess since that is what everyone is raving about. It was yummy!
I hate to sound like a broken record by using such banal phrases as "hidden gem" or "hole in the wall", but this place truly rocks!
OMG. 2 words. WAIT and TIME. (wait time). So, it was a Saturday and I was told that they turn over tables really quickly. It's a nice location, right at the top of a hill with some nice sun. Thick bloody mary's and mimosa's to refresh those waiting for a table in the bright sun in between the disgusting smokers. I forgot that people love to smoke in Richmond. Ew. Anyway, we waited for almost 2 hours. It's always worth it because their food is great (I had been there ages ago). Chatting with friends made the time seem somewhat unnoticeable. Their food is protein packed. Huevos Rancheros, chorizo, that kind of stuff. They don't have like french toast though. Nothing sweet. I had to order a dessert for something sweet so I ended up with Strawberry shortcake for brunch. So come with a protein starved appetite.
Millie's is one of my all time favorite restaurants ever! It is always a fun place, the servers and staff are awesome! The menu is always changing, but I have never had anything that wasn't wonderful there! It's the kind of place where my date and I always end up conversing with the neighboring guest about the great food or something.. Love it there!
I love this place but I am hardpressed to give it a 5 star rating. Maybe I am getting more critical in my old age, lol.
The wine list is very good - good values at reasonable prices. I love Hedges CMS and don't see it on lists often so this was a treat.
The Tenderloin was nice but very heavy. My mentioned the same about her fish - a bit of the "more is better" philosophy. The flavors were wonderful, just too much. The wait staff were cute and friendly and I love sitting near the kitchen though I can imagine that in the summer that may be too warm.
This place is 1/2 block from my loft so I will have the chance to do this one again.
Small narrow space, tons of people....this place would never work in the DC metro area. However, due to the kindness and patience of the locals in Richmond, this place is must eat. Don't be alarmed by the weird post it note reservation system of the host. It works. And he is attentive and only too happy to fill your drink order while you wait. He had a impressive way of upselling mimosas. The food - well worth the wait. Devil's mess was so good - lots of meats and cheeses and not too "eggy" tasting. The potatoes were tasty and the coffee.....yum. It's so hard to find a breakfast place with good coffee. I wish I bought beans to go like I saw the people next to me do. I only wish I lived closer but I may have to make the trip out when the weather gets warmer.
This is a 5 star "diner". Why'd I give it 3? The ants that were crawling on the windowsill next to me inside the restaurant. I had a tasty salad with a pineapple vinaigrette great mix of flavor and a pasta dish with mushrooms and maybe other veggies. I thought the price was more in line with DC prices than Richmond but I may just be bitter about my 6 legged dining companions. I took a really delicious dessert home with me. Chocolate wafer,nutella, chocolate moose thing with nuts and more chocolate. Delicious and my waitress seemed genuinely friendly and attentive.
Aside from my awesome friends, this is one of the things I miss most about my 1.5 years in Richmond.
Devil's mess is one of the best dishes I've ever eaten. And the Corned beef hash takes corned beef hash to a new level. Who knew it could ever be this good??!!?
This is the place to go for brunch in the RIC. The long wait is made easier by drinking a mimosa or bloody whilst you wait. I never tried the dinners, but have heard great things about them.
Breakfast euphoris is what I expierenced two Sundays ago at Millie's for brunch. I'm salivating just thinking about the messes (basically an egg dish with a bunch of delicious food and cheese all scrambled up). I can't remember which mess we got, but it was a little spicy and all the flavors worked together. We also tried the lobster and eggs with hollandaise sauce. It was a little skimpy on the lobster, but nevertheless delic!
Try this place! Worth making a trip!
Don't know why I don't go to Millie's more often. The food is just darn good!
Start thinking about what spirits you're in the mood for before you go to Millie's for brunch. Because when you arrive, there's going to be a wait for a table at this small restaurant, and the bartenders are only too happy to start your day with a Bloody Mary, mimosa, or Bailey's hot chocolate expertly mixed by a hip girl. And, this may be the only place in Richmond where you can sit on the patio or stand on the public sidewalk with a fine beverage and not get carted away.
Once it's your turn to be seated for breakfast, let your eyes linger on the large chalkboard squeezed between the bar and the open kitchen that's colorfully scrawled with the morning's mouth-watering selections. Millie's serves up riffs on Eggs Benedict, messes, and some quirky food pairings, so order based on what you're really craving.
My companions and I had the Tuscan Benedict with gorgonzola and sun-dried tomatoes, the Cajun mess featuring andouille, crawfish, peppers, corn and cheese, and the Devil's mess with spicy sausage, cheddar, garlic, tomatoes, and mild curry, all of which were accompanied by the most tender, flavorful breakfast potatoes I have encountered. Every dish was nicely prepared, richly and exquisitely flavored, and artfully decorated with sri racha flourishes. In fact, I believe the chef may be part of the sri racha cult following. Not that I would know anything about that...
Hip and unpretentious, Millie's is paradise for breakfast.
Millie's is one of my night time hiding spots. I live in Church Hill and love being so close to this haven. The food is unbelievable, the staff is always friendly... while sassy, and the beers are amazing. As a chef I love being in the kitchen, so I always eat at the bar to be involved and at least watch. The Beef Cheeks if you can get them are out of this world, but then again everything I've had there is always amazing.
I avoid brunch, too long of a wait, even though it's the best in town.
The food here is TERRIFIC! We were in Richmond for one night and were looking for a place that had good, mellow ambiance, and a great menu. The food was fresh, the menu amazingly inventive, the service terrific..... and by all means, this is NOT a diner! It reminds me of the little food enclaves that you 'discover' in NYC and then return to often... and don't tell too many people because you never want it to get too crowded. Sounds like its crowded for brunch... but if you are driving through Richmond, love food, and have standards set in foodie areas like NYC or SF, then Millie's is a great choice for Richmond.
This place is awesome!!! The burger was awesome! A good homemade bun is what makes a good burger! The side of potatoes were equally as good! They had a soft chili flavor.... MMM! I wish I lived in Richmond and could go here all the time! I want to try everything! When you go make sure you have plenty of time, it is not a big place but grab a cocktail and enjoy!!!!
Millie's is my favorite restaurant in Richmond. The atmosphere is casual and fun and the food is is creative and consistently good.
Millie's is one of the most consistently excellent restaurants in Richmond! Brunch and lunch are terrific (the Devil's Mess is sinfully good!) but the dinners are the real stand-outs here. The menu changes regularly and the dishes are unique and delicious. We always take out-of-town guests here. The place can get crowded so get there early or else be ready to wait. We love sitting near the kitchen as it is fun to watch the cooks in action around the flaming stove. Staff are friendly and the service is good. Could not recommend a place more.
Millies is such a great spot. They have excellent brunch, though be prepared for a wait. It's a very small and cozy restaurant, with the main cooking area right in the restaurant. We usually wait for 45 minutes for brunch on the weekends. But they serve coffee and bloody mary's while you wait outside so its not bad at all.
Not only do they have great brunch, the dinner menu is excellent and the atmosphere is very enjoyable. Wonderful food, very beautiful, and great flavors. Prices for entrees are in the $20's, so its on the higher end of the price scale but worth it for a great meal.
Best place for brunch in the RVA, no doubt. I get special treatment here cause my buddy Jimbo is one of the cooks, and his girlfriend is a server, but I've never heard a bad word about the place. The staff share a strong familial bond, and it comes thru in everything they make.
The hand-written chalkboard menu changes regularly, with a few staples that never fail. One of my favorites is the Avocado Tomato and Cheddar Omelette, though I usually order something a bit more involved (e.g., Eggs Benito, an Ecuadorian twist on the brunch classic, with papusas and chorizo filling in for the usual english muffin and ham). The homefries are best swirled in the Sriracha squiggled on the side of the plate, the bloodies and mimosas are served proper, and the juke is probably the best I've ever seen, period.
I've heard dinner is good too...
Millie's is hand's down the Best Restaurant in Richmond!
Millie's opened something like 20 years ago by a British guy who began cooking in Millie's Diner in Los Angeles. When he moved to Richmond, and opened his own place, he paid homage to Millie and named his place after hers.
Mille must have been an amazing influence on this guy. The menu, which changes every few weeks, is ALWAYS fantastic. I've had everything on the disparate menus twice and I am never disappointed. The chef(s) John and Russell work the tiny kitchen like a couple of trapeze artists. They are both calculated and creative in every move. From Steaks to Soft Shell Crabs or the Heavenly Pork Chop to Thai Shrimp...everything this duo produces is superb.
The atmosphere and service at Millie's is the second treat for any visitor. Millie's space is small, fun, and real. There's a old time juke box console every table, with an eclectic selection of British rock circa 1979 - 1999. I mean the Squirrel Nut Zippers...come on mate! I Love it.
I promise you, you will love Millie's as much as I do each week.
Enjoy.
I also live in Church Hill. I don't go to Millie's, although their food is good, it's $$$$- $40pp minimum. That is prohibitive for a regular visit.
The restaurant is small, it is extremely noisy, and their hot line (kitchen) is at the front door, which contributes to the noise, heat, smoke and kitchen smells. For some that makes it homey, but when I go out, I am trying to get AWAY from that.
Yes, their food is creative and good and they do neat things there...it is well loved and they're great people to patronize. But considering the prices, I prefer a different atmosphere.
When my boyfriend lived in Richmond, we'd go to Millie's quite frequently. The atmosphere is great, and if you sit in the front you can watch them prepare your food. Dinner can be pricey, $18-28 for entrees, so if you want a cheaper version of Millie's, go for lunch. Their turkey sandwich is super tasty, and so is the devil's mess. Dinner entrees change about every 2 weeks, and there are also changing lunch specials. (http://www.milliesdine...)
Update 8/2007:
Happened to be back in Richmond and I had to go back to Millie's - it's still as good as I remember with friendly service, and don't forget to try a dessert.
Great atmosphere! I loved the ham and black bean soup.
I have heard from many people that Millie's is a great place for dinner. Try the fish its fresh and delicious I was told. The prices are a little high for most grad students, but if the opportunity presents itself then GO!
On Sunday they open at 5:30, myself and two others were waiting at 5:25. The interior is very relaxed, old wooden booths and a somewhat open grill faces you at the entrance. I have never been one to be overly impressed with any restaurants decor, I am here to eat not look at a nice table. The food? My rockfish, cabbage and coconut soup had a Thai influence. It was delicious and extremely flavorful, just what I needed since it was raining and slightly chilly. My entree? Oh my entree. I did not go the fish route, I went the duck route. Duck served with Foie Gras Mac and Cheese and Grilled Asparagus. The spears of asparagus were small, I prefer the larger spears. Words cannot describe how succulent the duck tasted, it remined me of beef which was odd because I had not eaten red meat in eight years. The mac and cheese was some of the best I tasted.
My company had the Pork Shank which fell off the bone and was tasty, my other friend had the lamb which he said was great. The lamb came with cauliflower risotto which tasted like garlic risotto and was too mushy for my palate.
I would return, but not for their bread pudding (skip it). I would try the fish. Does anyone want to take me there?
Happened to be in Richmond during a weekend so we decided to have brunch at Millie's especially after reading reviews on Yelp. Wait is definitely long but we passed time sipping on mimosas and bloody marys. My flank steak + poached eggs was one of the day's specials and it was perfect. Devil's Mess is a regular on the menu and that was pretty good too.
I've never been to Millie's for dinner, but my brunch experience has been excellent. The menu is displayed on a large chalkboard in neon colored chalk, so although this place can get rather fancy at night (from what I've heard) it has a casual environment during the day.
I always get the mushroom and tomato omelette because it is pretty much the best omelette I've ever had at a restaurant before, no exaggerations. It comes with some potatoes on the side which are also astonishingly delish.
What previous reviewers have said about seating is 100% correct: if you're going for brunch, get there before the restaurant opens and you'll have a shot at getting in.
Richmond, VA
Category: Soul Food
Richmond, VA
Category: Southern
Richmond, VA
Category: Southern
Richmond, VA
Category: Vegetarian
Richmond, VA
Category: American (Traditional)
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