We dined at Lemaire for Christmas dinner with a party of six. We fully recognize that holiday dining is demanding and that staff are working under challenging conditions. Even with that understanding, the overall experience was disappointing due to rigid policies and service issues. At the start of the meal, we were told that separate checks were not allowed for a table of six or more. A manager later said three payments could be accepted, but this ultimately meant three equal payments, which did not work given different food and drink orders. We were left to manually dividing the bill, including tax and gratuity, with pen and a calculator at the table. Service pacing was extremely slow. Soups arrived nearly two hours into the meal, courses were delayed, and tables seated after us were served first. While we understand the holiday volume, the delays were excessive for a fine-dining restaurant.Noneless, we were foced to pay a 20 percent tip. Our server did not deserve $65 - we hardly saw him. The manager acknowledged our frustration but stated he had no discretion to adjust policies. For a restaurant of Lemaire’s reputation, the experience felt more focused on enforcing rules than on hospitality.
Vince
Jacquie, our server, was a delight. We've had her before and really enjoy the level of service we get from her.
Tom Addams
Dinner on very busy Friday night during holiday season. Wife had butternut squash soup followed by main course of rockfish. Dessert was Bailey’s Cream chocolate cheesecake. All rated five stars. I had Caesar salad followed by beef tenderloin. Caesar salad was average. Hard to make a bad one but hard to make it stand out. Beef tenderloin was rare as requested but also average. Small sides of mashed potato’s, broccolini, and some odd walnut sauce which made no sense. It was busy so noisy but tolerable. Disappointed with service. Unfilled water glasses. Appetizer and dinner plates not cleared in a timely manner. Would go again when staying at The Jefferson Hotel but wouldn’t return if not staying at the hotel.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 3
Kristin
We had a great time at the Jefferson and really enjoyed our meal at Lemaire. The food, drinks and service were all outstanding. The little details were a great touch: We came for a birthday celebration and they gave us menus with “Happy Birthday” printed on top! Highly recommend making a reservation on the weekend since there was a long line when we showed up for our table.
Charlotte
Food was excellent! (Try the pork!) Wine was delicious. Our waiter was very friendly and helpful in making dining choices.
Anish Konar
A very high end setup with perfect food, service and ambiance. We had a business dinner and everything went flawless and beyond expectation. Strongly recommend the Tenderloin (aged beef imported from Australia), Crispy fried oysters (unbelievably delicious), Glazed Rockfish and Duck Confit (a nice take on shepherds pie with duck meat instead of lamb). We had a house cocktail called Rumors of War which is essentially a very nice Old fashioned!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Bruno Rangel
I had an exceptional experience at Lemaire at The Jefferson Hotel in Richmond. From the moment I walked in, the atmosphere felt warm, elegant, and welcoming. The service was outstanding—attentive without being intrusive—and every member of the staff made the evening feel special. I highly recommend!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
christiana logansmith
Just had a great VEGAN dinner at Lemaire. Their menu is coded so it was easy to see the options. We had the beet salad/blood orange first, and then split the pasta with chestnuts and sunchoke entrees and the roast mushroom and curried cauliflower sides. The dishes were all really good, hearty and creative. We are big eaters and it was still plenty of food. We then split the pumpkin streusel cake for dessert. The service, as one would’ve pext at the Jefferson was first rate. I highly recommend the Lemaire to any plant based eaters looking for a gourmet night out.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
chinoduke
This is a very nice restaurant in a beautiful, grand old hotel. We sat in the bar by the windows for a drink. Then we stayed to order appetizers and a full meal. Service was excellent. Food delicious.
Allison Kulikowski
Chose this restaurant to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary. Atmosphere was great and service was phenomenal however the food was mediocre at best. I ordered the steak and my husband ordered the pork chop. Food arrived Luke warm which is a huge miss. Portions were small and steak was over seasoned. Thank goodness I didn’t order the scallop dinner considering it was legitimately ONE scallop. Save your money and go elsewhere. If you’re going for the atmosphere grab a cocktail and an appetizer. When a chef puts their name on a menu I would expect my food to be delivered hot
Oh, to walk into a place I frequent as a guest, on a very slow weekday night, and be immediately insulted by the staff member. So after I stepped into the bar and sat down I was greeted by a waitress with a water. I mentioned that I had another person joining me. Then a staff person came over and told me immediately that could only order one drink. I was really confused as to why, there had only been one brief interaction with the waitress. But, going out of your way to make someone feel horrible, you assumed incorrectly. Unfortunately, as you near the end of your invisiline every two weeks, they become very loose and makes speaking without lisping a bit tricky. But you go on making someone feel like crap. My family and I have stayed here at least 5 times in the last year and we have eaten there about the same amount of times this year. Will never be back.
Gabriela Tamis
We just went there for our anniversary and I’m just so disappointed, food was ok service was terrible we had to wait a long time to get another round of drinks it was just boring expensive and not worth it at all. If you’re looking to celebrate an anniversary definitely go somewhere else!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
Chauncey Gardener
Newly renovated space is on point but food and service miss compared to past visits.
Server was nice but disappeared for long periods with empty dishes sitting on table for close to ten minutes. Came by and refilled water but still didn't clear away dishes.
Red snapper was overcooked and undercooked depending on whose plate it was and middlins with scallops were watery and tasteless. The scallops themselves were perfect, but 3 scallops for $43... should have included 4 for that price.
Coconut cake, actually all of the desserts, were pedestrian and did not live up to Lemaire standards.
Will go back soon as I believe these are just reopening jitters. The meal was still very good, just not fantastic.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Patrick McClane
Outstanding dinner experience in Richmond's premiere hotel with a new Fall menu. Heirloom tomatoes and burrata for appetizer and Red Snapper for dinner. Fish was plentiful and perfectly cooked. Heirloom tomatoes were wonderful prelude to a great meal in a newly refreshed interior. Compliments to the chef and knowledgeable serving staff. We'll be back soon!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Javier Garcia
Lamaire is currently not in its coveted location at The Jefferson. They are currently located in a private space adjacent to TJ’s Restaurant and Lounge. While remodeling is competed, the rich atmosphere that Lamaire commands is on hold. That is where the differences end. The wine card is extensive. As we are Rioja fans we picked a beautiful bottle of 2012 Viña Tondonia Rioja. Simply Excellent. We had the Burrata with Heirloom Tomatoes (locally grown in Hanover) as our starter. I had the Herb Grilled Swordfish and Michele had the Pork Porterhouse. Both main courses were spectacular. Dessert… wow. My apologies, I did not take a photo of the dessert menu. I must admit, before arriving at Lemaire my expectations were very high. I travel extensively and try to eat healthy. I dine at mid to swanky restaurants. Lemaire’s cuisine may have been the best I have ever had. I had a few bites of michele’s Pork Porterhouse and asked myself, “how did they do that”? Details always matter. The top of the menu read, “Happy Birthday“. Nice touch. 👍🏽 We were assisted in our dining experience by Candy. Warm, kind, and professional. Thank you for ensuring our evening was perfect. You rock!
We dined at Lemaire for Christmas dinner with a party of six. We fully recognize that holiday dining is demanding and that staff are working under challenging conditions. Even with that understanding, the overall experience was disappointing due to rigid policies and service issues. At the start of the meal, we were told that separate checks were not allowed for a table of six or more. A manager later said three payments could be accepted, but this ultimately meant three equal payments, which did not work given different food and drink orders. We were left to manually dividing the bill, including tax and gratuity, with pen and a calculator at the table. Service pacing was extremely slow. Soups arrived nearly two hours into the meal, courses were delayed, and tables seated after us were served first. While we understand the holiday volume, the delays were excessive for a fine-dining restaurant.Noneless, we were foced to pay a 20 percent tip. Our server did not deserve $65 - we hardly saw him. The manager acknowledged our frustration but stated he had no discretion to adjust policies. For a restaurant of Lemaire’s reputation, the experience felt more focused on enforcing rules than on hospitality.
Jacquie, our server, was a delight. We've had her before and really enjoy the level of service we get from her.
Dinner on very busy Friday night during holiday season. Wife had butternut squash soup followed by main course of rockfish. Dessert was Bailey’s Cream chocolate cheesecake. All rated five stars. I had Caesar salad followed by beef tenderloin. Caesar salad was average. Hard to make a bad one but hard to make it stand out. Beef tenderloin was rare as requested but also average. Small sides of mashed potato’s, broccolini, and some odd walnut sauce which made no sense. It was busy so noisy but tolerable. Disappointed with service. Unfilled water glasses. Appetizer and dinner plates not cleared in a timely manner. Would go again when staying at The Jefferson Hotel but wouldn’t return if not staying at the hotel.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 3
We had a great time at the Jefferson and really enjoyed our meal at Lemaire. The food, drinks and service were all outstanding. The little details were a great touch: We came for a birthday celebration and they gave us menus with “Happy Birthday” printed on top! Highly recommend making a reservation on the weekend since there was a long line when we showed up for our table.
Food was excellent! (Try the pork!) Wine was delicious. Our waiter was very friendly and helpful in making dining choices.
A very high end setup with perfect food, service and ambiance. We had a business dinner and everything went flawless and beyond expectation. Strongly recommend the Tenderloin (aged beef imported from Australia), Crispy fried oysters (unbelievably delicious), Glazed Rockfish and Duck Confit (a nice take on shepherds pie with duck meat instead of lamb). We had a house cocktail called Rumors of War which is essentially a very nice Old fashioned!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I had an exceptional experience at Lemaire at The Jefferson Hotel in Richmond. From the moment I walked in, the atmosphere felt warm, elegant, and welcoming. The service was outstanding—attentive without being intrusive—and every member of the staff made the evening feel special. I highly recommend!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Just had a great VEGAN dinner at Lemaire. Their menu is coded so it was easy to see the options. We had the beet salad/blood orange first, and then split the pasta with chestnuts and sunchoke entrees and the roast mushroom and curried cauliflower sides. The dishes were all really good, hearty and creative. We are big eaters and it was still plenty of food. We then split the pumpkin streusel cake for dessert. The service, as one would’ve pext at the Jefferson was first rate. I highly recommend the Lemaire to any plant based eaters looking for a gourmet night out.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This is a very nice restaurant in a beautiful, grand old hotel. We sat in the bar by the windows for a drink. Then we stayed to order appetizers and a full meal. Service was excellent. Food delicious.
Chose this restaurant to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary. Atmosphere was great and service was phenomenal however the food was mediocre at best. I ordered the steak and my husband ordered the pork chop. Food arrived Luke warm which is a huge miss. Portions were small and steak was over seasoned. Thank goodness I didn’t order the scallop dinner considering it was legitimately ONE scallop. Save your money and go elsewhere. If you’re going for the atmosphere grab a cocktail and an appetizer. When a chef puts their name on a menu I would expect my food to be delivered hot
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Oh, to walk into a place I frequent as a guest, on a very slow weekday night, and be immediately insulted by the staff member. So after I stepped into the bar and sat down I was greeted by a waitress with a water. I mentioned that I had another person joining me. Then a staff person came over and told me immediately that could only order one drink. I was really confused as to why, there had only been one brief interaction with the waitress. But, going out of your way to make someone feel horrible, you assumed incorrectly. Unfortunately, as you near the end of your invisiline every two weeks, they become very loose and makes speaking without lisping a bit tricky. But you go on making someone feel like crap. My family and I have stayed here at least 5 times in the last year and we have eaten there about the same amount of times this year. Will never be back.
We just went there for our anniversary and I’m just so disappointed, food was ok service was terrible we had to wait a long time to get another round of drinks it was just boring expensive and not worth it at all. If you’re looking to celebrate an anniversary definitely go somewhere else!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
Newly renovated space is on point but food and service miss compared to past visits.
Server was nice but disappeared for long periods with empty dishes sitting on table for close to ten minutes. Came by and refilled water but still didn't clear away dishes.
Red snapper was overcooked and undercooked depending on whose plate it was and middlins with scallops were watery and tasteless. The scallops themselves were perfect, but 3 scallops for $43... should have included 4 for that price.
Coconut cake, actually all of the desserts, were pedestrian and did not live up to Lemaire standards.
Will go back soon as I believe these are just reopening jitters. The meal was still very good, just not fantastic.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Outstanding dinner experience in Richmond's premiere hotel with a new Fall menu. Heirloom tomatoes and burrata for appetizer and Red Snapper for dinner. Fish was plentiful and perfectly cooked. Heirloom tomatoes were wonderful prelude to a great meal in a newly refreshed interior. Compliments to the chef and knowledgeable serving staff. We'll be back soon!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lamaire is currently not in its coveted location at The Jefferson. They are currently located in a private space adjacent to TJ’s Restaurant and Lounge. While remodeling is competed, the rich atmosphere that Lamaire commands is on hold. That is where the differences end.
The wine card is extensive. As we are Rioja fans we picked a beautiful bottle of 2012 Viña Tondonia Rioja. Simply Excellent.
We had the Burrata with Heirloom Tomatoes (locally grown in Hanover) as our starter. I had the Herb Grilled Swordfish and Michele had the Pork Porterhouse. Both main courses were spectacular. Dessert… wow. My apologies, I did not take a photo of the dessert menu.
I must admit, before arriving at Lemaire my expectations were very high. I travel extensively and try to eat healthy. I dine at mid to swanky restaurants. Lemaire’s cuisine may have been the best I have ever had. I had a few bites of michele’s Pork Porterhouse and asked myself, “how did they do that”?
Details always matter.
The top of the menu read, “Happy Birthday“. Nice touch. 👍🏽
We were assisted in our dining experience by Candy. Warm, kind, and professional. Thank you for ensuring our evening was perfect. You rock!
We will definitely return to Lemaire.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
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